A PUBLIC event was held to explain how residents and shoppers will be affected once work gets underway in Manor Street.

Information on alternative parking, temporary bus stops and changes to the flow of traffic was available at the drop-in event last Thursday.

The contractor in charge of the scheme, Kier Regional Building Eastern, held the public exhibition to explain the changes for residents.

Kier quantity surveyor Marc Read said: “All the construction traffic will come through the site – we won’t be going through any of the bus routes.

“A lot of people should still be able to take the same route, but unfortunately with construction there will be some disruption.”

The bus park on Manor Street will close on March 23 and temporary bus stands will be positioned close to the current bus park site for the duration of the build.

The car parks on Manor Street and Victoria Street will close at the beginning of March and won’t reopen until the new twin level car park is completed in 2021.

Councillor John McKee, who has been involved in the development for 10 years, described the development as “a good investment into the town going forward”.

He said: “Clearly Braintree needs this – all towns do – but Braintree particularly needs a kick-start in 2020.

“We had demonstrations outside the council meeting when we first discussed this and twenty-something objections.

“I think now there has been an acceptance that we have to do something.

“We are going to provide things that people want.

“The operator of the hotel has been looking to get a space in Braintree for a long time, so it wasn’t a case of us chasing them.

“This will bring more shops and other businesses into Braintree as well as helping the local businesses we already have."