Newent's town centre pavements will not be improved and the Market Square re-slabbed until at least 2008.

Mayor Fred Passant said permissions for the conservation area work are unlikely to be secured before autumn 2007.

He said: "The project invol-ves a great deal of upheaval. It's a big job, revamping the streets all the way from the Black Dog to Watery Lane.

"There will be no active digging for two years from now and the work will take one year to complete after that."

Before then, safety and environmental studies will have to be carried out and approval for the final scheme will need to be obtained from bodies including English Heritage.

Newent town councillors met in the Market Hall on Monday to discuss the Newent Initiative plan and its implications.

In April, the resurfacing was viewed by the council as one of the more achievable proposals of a town centre feasibility study, drawn up by architect Alex Cochrane and consultants, Roger Evans Associates.

These projects have proved to be more complex than originally hoped.

However, Gloucestershire County Council has now set aside £500,000 in its budget towards town centre improvements, with further funding expected from the Forest of Dean District Council and the Government.