Heart of the City: Council chief voices 'frustration' at long wait to repair paving in flagship development

A council chief has spoken out over a six-month wait to restore newly-laid granite paving in the authority’s flagship city centre development.

Sean McClean, director of regeneration and development, said he shared people’s frustrations at the temporary surfacing on Charles, Cambridge and Wellington streets.

In October, workers sliced through new granite slabs to run cables and pipes to a new food hall on Cambridge Street. They left a swathe of black asphalt which starkly contrasts with the light grey stone.

Reader Peter Machan said he was left in despair at the "vandalism."

He added: "No sooner had the expensive paving been laid, no doubt at great cost, and the road reopened, than it was cut into and destroyed. The slabs were not even carefully lifted so that they could be re-laid but dozens of them have been brutally cut into causing untold damage and expense. 

"It is now very difficult to see how the damage could be rectified and the carefully laid surface restored, even if the contractors responsible are made to do so. This is not the standard of work that is going to reflect well on the city. 

"How are we to attract businesses to the new 'Heart of the City' development when it is clear that the city doesn't care?"

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In November, a council spokesperson said it would be repaired in the new year.

In a statement to The Star, Mr McClean said he expected it to be fixed by the end of June.

He said: "It has taken longer than we had hoped to get this reinstated, but I can confirm that the order has been placed for the materials needed to restore the paving and we anticipate that all work will be completed by the end of June to coincide with the completion of construction work on Heart of the City.

"Our £470m Heart of the City development is transforming the city centre and we’re already seeing businesses moving in, including the recently opened Fjallraven and Yards Store with Cream Store following soon. With further opening and lettings to be announced and of course, the Radisson Blu Hotel will be opening in June."