"Major changes" to the South Circular road are going to be made by Lewisham Council.

The road will be moved to the south of Laurence House on Catford Road (through the car and lorry park).

The gyratory will also be removed to create a simpler road layout at the junction of the A21 and A205. The works will take place in 2020 and 2021.

The decision to move the road was agreed at a meeting of Lewisham Council’s Mayor and Cabinet on Wednesday evening.

Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “Moving the South Circular road will transform Catford and make the town centre a better place to live, work and visit.

“Our decision ends 50 years of uncertainty over the route of the South Circular road and the benefits will be felt for generations.

“The simplified road layout will make it easier for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to travel by removing the gyratory.

“The future for Catford is bright with hundreds of new homes being built, new businesses opening every month and major improvements planned for the shopping centre alongside the improvements to the route of the South Circular road.”

According to Lewisham Council benefits of the project will include:

• Wider pavements and 13 new road crossings to create safer space for people to walk around the town centre.

• Safer spaces for cyclists with a fully segregated cycleway on the South Circular road and new cycle lanes on A21.

• Major improvements to Catford town centre with the creation of new pedestrianised public spaces and business space.

• A simplified junction for cars and buses with two-way traffic reinstated on the A205 and the A21.

Lewisham Council said that the A21 and A205 will be directly affected by the works. They were unable to comment on the cost of the changes at the time of publication.

Further details about the scheme will be published by the Council in the coming days.

People who live and work in Catford can have their say about the future of the area and future changes: catfordtowncentre.commonplace.is.