DARWEN town centre faces major disruption for five weeks after flood repair and prevention work starts on Knott Street on Monday.

The road will be closed to traffic and a diversion will be in place until March.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The work is one of the final stages of £500,000 worth of repair and prevention work following the town being hit by repeated floods in 2012 causing damage to drains, sewers, culverts, roads and buildings.

Borough regeneration boss Maureen Bateson and Sunnyhurst councillor Dave Smith hope access to the car parks on Knott Street and on the top of the market can be maintained for most of the five weeks.

The road was damaged by flooding during the summer of 2012 causing Knott Street and part of Back Railway Road to be weakened.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough council is to carry out repairs to the carriageway in Knott Street close to the library, and a short section of the back street leading from Knott Street.

The work will involve the reconstruction of the carriageway and association prevention works.

Prior to this, a service diversion is required to a water service main.

The work will start on February 9 with completion due around March 15.

Councillor Maureen Bateson, executive member for regeneration said: “We hope to keep disruption to a minimum but this work needs to be carried out to repair the road and prevent any repeat flooding.

“I accept it will be highly inconvenient but it is vital work.

“We hope to maintain access to the two car parks as much as possible.”

Cllr Smith said: “It will be really inconvenient but it is essential work to make the road safe and protect local buildings.

“I have impressed on Cllr Bateson how important it is to keep access to the car parks on Knott Street and the top level of the market, Darwen MP Jake Berry said: “I am pleased to see the council using the flood prevention money it was given by the government.

“The closure of Knott Street will add to the chaos in the town centre caused by the new Hollins Grove traffic lights on the A666.

“It is vital that the two car parks remain s accessible as possible.”

The £500,000 of repairs since Darwen’s 2012 floods has included repairs to footpaths, underground culverts, drains, roads and boundary walls.

Particular attention has had to be paid to damage in Knott Street and Union Street after fears that some buildings were on the verge of collapse.