COMPLEX diversions around the New Forest's capital Lyndhurst will be needed at some stages of the major road improvement scheme, due to start in the village at the end of this month.

County highways bosses have revealed detailed plans for the five-month scheme to narrow Lyndhurst High Street and widen its pavements for pedestrian safety. They warned that short road closures - one or two nights - would be unavoidable at some stages when resurfacing is being done.

And HGVs - at present banned from Lyndhurst High Street - would have to be allowed back at certain times.

But they said diversion signs would be set up as far away as Christchurch, to warn motorway traffic to avoid the Lyndhurst turn-off while the road was blocked.

And they promised that council officers and the contractor - Mildren of Christchurch - were committed to minimising disruption and keeping the public informed.

At a meeting of Lyndhurst Parish Council, Phil Samms of the county surveyor's department said a resident engineer and a full-time clerk of works would be on site to deal with problems. And Mildren site agent Owen Phillips said he would try to solve any local difficulties.

The programme of work has been divided into nine stages, each taking two or three weeks.

The western end of the High Street, below the Romsey Road junction, is earmarked for completion by Christmas.

From mid-January 2001, the contractors will concentrate on completing the northern side of the High Street. By the end of February all new pavements should be laid.

Mr Samms said: "No more than 50 feet of footway will be closed at any one time, and access to shops will be maintained except when slabs are actually being laid across a particular door front."

Resurfacing work is due to start from March, and the scheme should be finished by Easter.

Mildren spokesman Chris Wingham said: "These time-scales are our best guess, but they can't be set in stone. Frost or unforeseen problems with underground services could slow up the timetable. But we'll keep everyone informed."

Posters giving HCC and Mildren contact numbers are to go on display soon in Lyndhurst.