THE bleak roundabout at Cleatop, on the outskirts of Settle, is finally going to get a facelift.

Settle District Chamber of Trade has at last been given the go-ahead to spend the £9,000 donated some years ago to landscape the roundabout, which is situated at the main entrance to the town.

It has been a cause of concern for the chamber of trade as well as residents, who said it was a poor advertisement for Settle.

The main stumbling block was the fact that the bypass, on which the roundabout is situated, was maintained by the Highways Agency. Even though that particular stretch of the A65 is due to be detrunked and placed in the hands of the local authority, talks have been ongoing between Highways Agency bosses and the chamber of trade to come up with a solution.

Chamber of trade chairman, Steve Amphlett, said Skipton MP David Curry had helped move the scheme forward after hearing about the problems.

"He got in touch with the Highways Agency's chief executive and must have pulled some strings, because responsibility for the roundabout has now been handed over to Craven District Council. This means we can start to make a plan to landscape the site later in the year," explained Mr Amphlett.

He said the designs would incorporate subtle and low-key planting and perhaps something linked with Settle and the surrounding area, such as the Three Peaks.

"It will be a joint scheme between the chamber of trade and Settle regeneration team StART and we are looking to start it by October," added Mr Amphlett.

Funding for the project was secured some years ago from Booths supermarket and the Countryside Commission, but the Highways Agency said the cost of putting traffic management in place while the work was carried out was too expensive. The scheme will now feature a simpler design which should be carried out without disruption to traffic.