ESSENTIAL maintenance work on a steep hillside above Quay Street in Minehead is due to start on Monday, June 20.

Contractors working on behalf of West Somerset Council will be removing rock, dead trees and pruning live trees following inspections that confirmed the work needed to be done.

The work is necessary to mitigate the potential impact on properties below the hill.

Reaching the site is difficult as it is a near-vertical slope immediately above properties.

This means that part of Quay Street will need to be closed to traffic for about three weeks to allow safe access for the contractors. The road closure will operate between 9.30am and 4.30pm on weekdays only.

The road will remain open to pedestrians but there may be short periods when walkers will have to wait to get access for safety reasons as heavy machinery will be operating.

The council is working with the emergency services to ensure contingency plans are in place if any of the blue-light services need access quickly.

Quay West car park will be closed from June 13 as the space will be needed as a works and welfare compound for the contractors. The men’s conveniences will be closed but the ladies will remain open to the public.

Alternative parking arrangements are being put in place for directly affected properties in Quay Street and Quay West.