Work is beginning to transform Penance Promenade – complete with new ‘lunar cycle’ design – in time for the start of the Tour of Britain international cycle race next year.

The new surface will be laid in three sections between this month and June 2020, with the majority of the work planned to be completed in time for the Golowan Festival and ahead of the Tour of Britain event in September 2020, when the eyes of the sporting world will be on Penzance as the field of world class cyclists assemble on the promenade for the start of the race.

Read more: Date for Tour of Britain cycling coming to Cornwall in 2020

As the main surfacing scheme gets underway, other elements of the designs will be added as the project progresses.

Some of the ideas for the look of the promenade came from public exhibitions held in July this year, which more than 400 residents and businesses in Penzance attended, along with the area’s Cornwall Council members, Penzance town councillors, Penzance BID, schools and local environment and heritage groups.

Meiloci Landscape Architects, which designed the new surface, also organised a series of creative workshops with schools and colleges, so that the local community could help co-design such an iconic public space in Penzance.

Jim McKenna, Cornwall Councillor for Penzance Promenade, said: “More than 400 residents came along and over 130 feedback forms were submitted at the engagement events in July. I want to thank everyone who took the time to get involved and give their views.

“The project team found this feedback really useful and where possible it has been incorporated in the project. The design ideas, which were developed with input from a number of local school children, were, on the whole, strongly supported.

“The surface colour, the lunar cycle textural design and the pebble seating were the favourite elements of the scheme. It is great to see that this is finally happening.”

Ideas given during the feedback include more events, music and space for food and drink businesses on the promenade, which have been passed to Penzance Council and the Business Improvement District.

Updates on the progress of the work will be given on information boards on the Prom, as well as on the Cornwall Council website at cornwall.gov.uk/baytobay.

There will still be some access to parts of the Prom over the next eight months, as the works are phased.

The resurfacing scheme is a key part of Cornwall Council’s ambition to provide a Mount’s Bay trail and wider Bay to Bay cycling and walking trail. A designated cycle route adjacent to the Promenade will be developed and in time, the plan is to see the Mount’s Bay route continue to the north coast via St Erth, Hayle and St Ives.

The resurfacing is the first phase of investment in the promenade ahead of a longer term regeneration and coastal protection scheme proposed by the Environment Agency.