Urgent repairs to a historic building in Sandwich will cause road closures for up to six weeks.

Scaffolding will be put up and the High Street and Ramsgate Road will be closed from Monday, May 16, for work to the Barbican.

The work will take up to eight weeks to complete.

There will be no access for vehicles to or from the Ramsgate Road, but access to The Quay from Strand Street will be maintained with traffic lights.

The first wave of repairs is to the elevation facing the river. This is to allow traffic from Ramsgate Road to access the town after an estimated four weeks.

Access to Fisherman’s Wharf will be open for the whole period but will need to be arranged with the contractor – contact details will be available at the site compound.

Kent County Council has given an alternative route for motorists to use. It includes Monks Way, the A256 Sandwich Bypass, Deal Road, Dover, Road, New Street, Harnet Street and Strand Street.

The authority said the lengthy diversion had been enforced to make it suitable for all vehicles.

A statement from East Kent Housing said: “This work has become necessary to maintain the condition of this Grade I listed building and should help avoid the need for short term closures in the future.”

Tim Goss, area maintenance manager said: “These are essential works and although this will cause disruption to the residents, it is important for the Barbican to have the necessary repairs.”