'Unsafe' Great Ayton river wall to be completely rebuilt

A full road closure would be required throughout the works, but businesses would be open as usual, officials said

Work to rebuild an "unsafe" wall separating a main road from a river in a North Yorkshire village is to start.

The wall, which lines Great Ayton's High Street, is to be rebuilt after its condition continued to deteriorate, councillors said.

An emergency lane closure has been in place since April due to movement of the wall overlooking the River Leven.

The strengthening work was due to start on Tuesday 30 May and was expected to take 12 weeks, officials said.

North Yorkshire Council's executive member for highways and transport, Councillor Keane Duncan, said: "The emergency closure was introduced to safeguard the public after continued deterioration of the wall, despite emergency repairs in February."

Councillor Duncan said the work in the village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park would involve fully taking down and reconstructing the wall.

He said he hoped this would remove the need for "further maintenance works and disruption".

Councillor Heather Moorhouse, who represents the Great Ayton division, added: "A full road closure is required to allow contractors and machinery to safely access the wall for construction."

However, businesses would remain open as usual and they could be accessed from Newton Road and on the footway on the north side of the High Street, Councillor Moorhouse added.

"We appreciate these unforeseen works will cause a considerable level of disruption, so we apologise in advance and ask for your patience," she said.