Cobbles restoration approved

Cobbled pavements "destroyed" by council officials during pathway resurfacing work are to be reinstated later this year, it has been revealed.

Welshpool Town Council has been calling on Powys County Council to restore the two pavements off High Street, after it carried out resurfacing work in April.

Councillors said the authority had no right to asphalt over the two pavements along Whittington Passage and Stanley Street.

At the time the county council said it had no other choice but to carry out remedial work, following a string of complaints from residents. But today it confirmed it would be reinstating the cobbles at some point this year.

John Evans, county council communications manager, said: "The work carried out on the two pavements was temporary, and subject to funding we will be reinstating the cobbles on the two pavements at some point later this year."

Robert Robinson, town council clerk, said he was pleased the problem would be rectified.

"The county council just went in and put asphalt along the two pavements without our permission," he said.

"The pathway along Whittington Passage is cobbled and is classed as a conservation area. It is therefore the county council's responsibility to apply for planning consent to carry out any work on it.

"What's even more amusing though is this pathway that has been destroyed is just outside the office for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales."

Mr Robinson added that the council had not been given a date for work, but he would monitor the situation.