“UNSIGHTLY” scaffolding which has been propping up a churchyard wall in central Reading since the 1980s is finally being banished.

Reading Borough Council has announced the Grade II listed wall of St Laurence Church - which has been patched up numerous times over the last three decades - is to be fully repaired at last. On Wednesday last week Reading Borough Council’s planning committee approved plans to demolish five sections of the wall and rebuild them on new concrete foundations, re-using the structure’s ancient bricks.

The project is being backed by English Heritage, but will have to be rubber stamped by Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles.

In a report to the planning committee, English Heritage stated: “The poor condition of the wall and its unsightly scaffold supports has been a blot on the townscape for many years and this opportunity to address the problem should be seized.”

The wall was built in the mid-16th century at the request of Queen Mary to enlarge the churchyard and Reading’s planning leader, Cllr Tony Page, joked the scaffolding had been up so long it is in danger of being listed too.

He added: “This is a hugely significant application because it will enable us to improve this critical part of the town centre, which is currently receiving much greater focus.

“Huge sensitivity has to be adopted to literally a brick by brick approach to restoration.”