CORNWALL Council have revealed the reason why a main road through Bodmin keeps requiring works to remediate repeated incidences of the road ‘falling apart’.

Church Square in Bodmin was part of a multi-million road scheme in 2016 which was intended to facilitate the conversion of Dennison Road into a ‘Shared Space’ style scheme with the intention of promoting multi-modal uses such as cycling as well as making the road safer for pedestrians.

At the time of its construction, the scheme was controversial with some residents expressing concern over the amount of time and cost of the scheme, which was stated to also have been required to protect the structure around the Bodmin Leat, an underground watercourse.

However, with repeated issues of the road surface at Church Square, an unmarked circle shaped junction which was formerly a roundabout has led to several instances of temporary traffic lights being installed on the road while contractors try to repair the paved section which has been reported to be ‘falling apart’.

After works to remediate the scheme earlier in 2025 failed, more detailed investigations have uncovered that the repeated issues are being caused by defects in the lower construction layers of the road when it was rebuilt in 2016 to 2017.

It is not yet clear when or what form the permanent works to remedy the issue will take, with Cornwall Council stating that it will have to be designed first.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: “Regrettably our previous attempt to repair the paving in church square was unsuccessful. We need to carry out temporary repairs to ensure the area is safe for all highway users.

“The previous repairs carried out in June used specialist bedding materials due to the construction of the paving in this area. Despite this and a reasonable curing period it is clear that further work is required. We have carried out a more detailed investigation of the lower construction layers from the original construction.

“The main paving area in Church Square is supported by large cast in situ concrete slabs. To accommodate the construction and adjustment of drainage and utility chambers, smaller concrete slabs immediately surrounding these chambers were constructed separately.

“However, these smaller slabs are not joined to the larger ones, potentially making them vulnerable to uneven movement and settling. We believe the areas that have failed are associated with differential settlement where adjoining slabs meet.

“In carrying out the temporary repairs and excavating to a deeper level we will be able to gather the necessary information to inform the design of a permanent solution. Once we have established a suitable design, we can schedule the permanent work at a later date.”

Prior to this work taking place, Cornwall Council confirmed that further temporary works will be undertaken, adding: “We will begin by excavating the damaged areas, removing the existing paving and storing it for reinstallation. We will then conduct further inspections before carrying out temporary asphalt repairs to level the footways and carriageway ensuring it is safe for pedestrians and vehicular traffic.”