THE second phase of work to resurface Pier Approach has begun.

A ground-breaking ceremony on Monday marked the official launch of Bournemouth council’s £2m project. The work follows on from the borough's £4m phase one project in 2014, which saw the eastern side of Pier Approach repaved, a new tourism office built and a fountain water feature installed.

The new work, expected to be completed in the spring, will see the western site repaved to match the east, new 'landscaping' features and new bins sunk into the ground to increase their capacity.

Andrew Emery, resort development and strategic planning manager, updated members of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board about the scheme at a meeting on Monday.

He said: “The programme will see the works done in phases between now and early March. We have until early spring to complete the job.

“The nature of the works will mean liaising with businesses in the Pier Approach area to make sure we minimise the impact as best we can. We’ll be covering a lot of ground, using low-level fencing to maintain site use. The public will still be able to access Pier Approach, the east and west slope and along the promenade. All the businesses will be able to continue to trade. When we get to the stage of paving up to doorways, we’ll be doing that outside normal trading hours.”

He added: “We’ve got a tight programme, but it’s very doable, and we’re confident we’re in a good position to deliver on that. The scope of the works goes as far as the underside of the flyover, up to the edge of the gardens.”

The works are funded with a £1.9m grant from the Government's Coastal Communities Fund, one of 18 such projects along the Dorset coast co-ordinated by the Dorset Coast Forum.

Cllr David Smith asked for a further explanation about the new bins to be installed. There will be 11 in total, with four for public use and seven for trade waste.

“It’s a new system for Bournemouth, and the most exciting bit of the project for most people,” Mr Emery said.

“They are well-presented new bins, typical on the continent. They are large, self-contained structures which are semi-submerged and hold the equivalent of four euro bins.”

Cllr Smith also asked if any work was being planned to improve the “messy, untidy” flyover at Pier Approach.

Mr Emery said: “In terms of longer term improvement of the aesthetics, that’s something I’ve been tasked to look at again. We’re looking at some options – ideally we’d like to run a trial of a green walk solution in the spring.”