WORK to improve the centre of Sheepridge has started.

Shops will get new doors, windows and signs and the stone walls will be cleaned. The adjacent houses will also be given a makeover.

The work will give Sheepridge a uniform look, although shopkeepers will still retain their own identity.

The properties between the Post Office and main shops will also be demolished and the space will be turned into a car park in a bid to ease congestion.

The Deighton and Brackenhall Initiative Limited (DBI) have secured funding for the work and members are pleased to see it get under way.

Clr Jean Calvert, chairman of the DBI Ltd Board, said: “We are really excited about these works and feel they will have a massive impact on the village centre, not just in terms of appearance but also by helping the local businesses to grow and making the centre easier to access for residents via the new car park.

“We hope it will encourage people to visit their local shops and be proud of their area.”

The work is being done in a bid to improve the appearance of Sheepridge overall and the DBI hope the work will be compete within the next couple of months.

But it’s part of a wider scheme to regenerate Sheepridge.

The second phase of the work is still in its early stages with plans yet to be finalised, but it is expected to focus on the other side of the area, between Deighton and Sheepridge Working Men’s Club.

The DBI was established in 1997 to tackle the range of issues that were spoiling the quality of life for local residents which, members believed, were deterring new people from moving into the area.

Their work is aimed at boosting the area, with priorities including reducing crime and the fear of crime, carrying out extensive environmental improvements and improving the shopping facilities.