WORK on a £1.1 million revamp of Worcester's Cathedral Square will get underway next month, it has emerged.

The long-awaited project, which will see the Cathedral roundabout shrink in size to create a giant piazza-style open space for people to relax in, will also see council chiefs do some preparation on the site next week.

A three-day survey of the island will take place from Monday, meaning traffic management will be in place from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

During those times county council workers will be searching for signs of any archaeological remains on the site and two trees will be hacked down, although replacements will form part of the finished scheme.

One traffic lane around the island will be closed during one night between midnight and 6am, some time next week while a protective fence is erected around the roundabout.

A full excavation will then start from Monday, March 2 lasting around 10 weeks to kick off the project properly.

Council chiefs say a small section of one of the lanes will be used to house a skip over the spring, but insists it will have a "minimal impact" on traffic flow around the island.

The plans, due for completion by the summer of 2016, is being funded with around £400,000 of county council money, up to £400,000 from the city council and £300,000 from investors Salmon Harvester, which is revamping the nearby Cathedral plaza shopping centre.

Under the deal the whole area, including the shopping plaza, will be called Cathedral Square once the project is finished, featuring an array of restaurants in newly-refurbished units,

Councillor John Smith, the county council's cabinet member for highways, said: "This will be the first on the ground work for this exciting scheme that will bring a real boost to Worcester’s city centre.

"This first round of work is of an investigative nature, but it is the start of the process to create a wonderful new public space in front of the Cathedral."

Councillor Marc Bayliss, city council deputy leader and cabinet member for economic prosperity, said: “This scheme will bring major benefits to our city centre so it will be very exciting to see the start of these first steps towards the revival of the southern end of High Street."