The first stage of work to resurface city centre roads in Lichfield will begin this month.
Staffordshire County Council will repave Conduit Street, Breadmarket Street and a section of Market Street from January 2016, but will start the project with trial holes on the roads.
The £1.2million paving scheme was put in by Lichfield District Council during 2007 but a number of the stones have broken up, although the pavements have not been affected.
The work will be part-funded by money held back from the original project.
Cllr Mark Deaville, Cabinet Support Member for Highways and Transport at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Based on feedback from city traders, we’re planning to carry out the works from January 2016, when it will have the least impact on local trade and shoppers.
“In advance of this we’re doing some investigatory testing in June and the results of this will help us to plan the finer engineering details.
“Once the testing is complete, we will be able to put together a firm project plan for the repaving works, which are likely to take around three months to complete.
“In order to minimise disruption to shoppers and businesses, we will be doing the work in three phases. Our aim will be to keep the city centre operational and open to essential traffic throughout the works.”
The cracks have also been noticed on Market Square. Lichfield District Council says separate paving works will be carried out there later this year.
The controversial paving has long been the subject of criticism from shoppers and traders after it began to break up not long after being installed.
Cllr Deaville insisted plans would be put in place to prevent a similar situation.
“We would like to reassure shoppers, visitors and businesses that between now and when the works start, we are stepping up the frequency of repairs to the affected roads,” he said.
“In the long-term, the paving will be replaced with a more attractive and hard wearing finish, so we hope everyone will bear with us.
“We will also put the new paving on display in the district council house in the coming months, so people can see what the renewed streets will look like.”
