WORK which was unfinished in a busy Saltcoats street after an engineering firm went bust is to resume in September.

Last month Land Engineering, the contractors for the regeneration work in Countess Street went into administration forcing the project to be temporarily halted. North Ayrshire Council took control of the project and they expect it to be completed by late-October.

Councillor Jim Montgomerie, local member for the Saltcoats and Stevenston ward and Cabinet Member for Place, said: “We are sympathetic to those affected by the administration of Land Engineering, however, we acted immediately to ensure the project is finished as quickly as possible.

“Since then, we have been working hard to resolve a situation which arose out with our control and reach a successful and speedy resolution.

“Like local traders and residents, I want to see the works being completed so it’s great that we now have a timescale for the remaining work to be carried out.

“When Land Engineering entered administration, about 90 per cent of the streetscape works had been carried out so we are hopeful that the outstanding works will not take too long.

“The town hall and Countess Street are central to the history of the town, and their revival is something the local community has long wished to see. I look forward to seeing that brought to completion in the near future.”

The immediate priority for the council following Land Engineering’s administration was to secure Countess Street and make safe areas of incomplete works.

The council endeavoured to keep open as much of the road as possible to minimise disruption to the public, traders and residents.