Ottery is gearing up for a week of traffic chaos as Hind Street closes and Mill Street becomes two-way from tomorrow.

The closure is due to works for the new Sainsbury’s store and will mean the Hind Street car park will be inaccessible for a week and there will be no parking on Mill Street.

The supermarket say to minimise disruption essential improvements to Ottery’s sewage and electricity infrastructure will also take place by utilities companies, which they say will avoid further road closures in the next few years.

But Sainsbury’s accept the work will cause disruption to the town, and have made alternative parking available for free at the land next to the Tumbling Weir Hotel.

Contractors Kier also said they will work from 7.30am each morning into the evening to try and finish the work as quickly as possible, but the work is undoubtedly to have an impact on the town’s traders.

A statement from the supermarket said: “The town’s shops will remain open as usual, so please continue to support your local independent traders.”

The contractors say the works should take place as follows; starting with Saturday, July 30 there is still access to both the petrol station and the car park as they begin setting out the diversions and carrying out works at the western end of Mill Street for when it becomes two-way.

But from Sunday until the following Sunday there will be no access to the Hind Street car park but there will still be access to the petrol station, with an entrance switching between Canaan Way or via Broad Street depending on the location of the works, although there will be restricted access on Thursday, and a later opening time of 10am next Friday and Saturday.

Sunday, August 7, sees access to the car park open again albeit with a two-hour closure, and full access returns the following day.

On Tuesday, August 9, Mill Street and Hind Street should return to one-way as normal.

Please contact the Sainsbury’s helpline on 0800 1303270 if you have any questions about the works.