WORK on a £1.4 million major repair project at Poole's Dolphin Shopping Centre rooftop car park starts today.

The car park will be closed for around four months while Borough of Poole contractors carry out the work, but access to the centre's Shopper's Two car park remains unaffected for the duration.

Borough of Poole engineering manager John Rice said: "Our regular inspections of the town centre car parks have identified that we now need to undertake major repairs to Shoppers One rooftop car park.

"The planned works will not only improve the environment for car park users but also reduce the risk of leaks into the shopping centre below.

"We are aiming to reopen the car park in time for the busy shopping period leading up to Christmas."

Engineers will completely resurface the rooftop car park, replace the existing waterproofing system and install new, brighter and more energy efficient lighting. The stairwells and parapets will also be repaired and refurbished.

Dolphin Shopping Centre manager John Grinnell said: "We are pleased to see the necessary repairs commence to the Shoppers One rooftop car park. Unfortunately, to undertake the work it is necessary to temporarily close this particular car park.

"However, the Dolphin Shopping Centre is very much open for business and in the meantime the adjacent Shoppers Two car park - along with the Dolphin's multi-storey and others surrounding the centre - will remain open for customers as alternatives."

The project, undertaken by Raymond Brown Construction Limited, is scheduled to start today and finish by early October.

Cllr Ian Potter, cabinet member for transportation at Borough of Poole, said Shoppers Two rooftop car park had already benefited from "significant investment."

He added: "With further investment in the shopping centre we are keen to improve our car parks and bring them up to the standards expected by our customers."

Kevin Valentine, of Raymond Brown, said anticipated working hours will be 7am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and that activities such as concrete breaking will take place outside of retail hours.

Shoppers One car park is located above Primark, normally accessed off the slip road before Towngate Bridge. The spiral ramp leads to the entrances of Shoppers One and Shoppers Two car parks.