THE MULTIMILLION pound redevelopment of Gants Hill roundabout will be set back by more than six months after large pipes were unexpectedly uncovered during work at the site.

Transport for London has announced that the £7.2 million project to improve traffic management and pedestrian access at the busy junction will not be completed until April 2011 - rather than the original target date of summer 2010.

The long-awaited scheme had been welcomed by local residents who complained for years about the poor state of the roundabout’s underpasses and the safety of pedestrians in the area.

But now they and the borough's motorists could face months of extra inconvenience while the unidentified pipes - thought to belong to utility firms - are 'traced' and diverted.

Roger Evans, London Assembly Member for Redbridge, described the development as 'depressing.'

He said: "TfL have undertaken to brief me regularly and to keep Redbridge Council and local stakeholders informed as the work progresses."

A TfL spokesperson said: "Construction work on the Gants Hill town centre improvement scheme began in July.

"The first phase of excavation works at the roundabout uncovered unidentified underground utility services alongside the equipment we knew to be there and vast amounts of concrete that we believe dates back to the use of Gants Hill Station during the Second World War.

"Now that we have a clear understanding about the location of all the services, the utility companies need to carry out their diversion works.

"To allow the utilities the extra time needed to do this we have had to revise the project timings and the scheme is now scheduled for completion by April 2011.

"While we allow the utility companies to carry out their necessary works, access to both lanes around the roundabout will be reinstated to ensure that disruption is minimised.

"The Gants Hill scheme will bring real improvements to the town centre area and we will continue to work with our partners at Redbridge, and the utilities, to recover the time lost and complete the scheme as quickly as possible."

A council spokesman said: "Redbridge Council has this week learned from TFL that there has been an unavoidable delay to work at Gants Hill due to unforeseen public utilities services being found on site.

"While any delay is frustrating the council understands that this extra work is necessary and efforts will be made to allow traffic to flow with greater freedom through the area while these complications are dealt with.

"The council looks forward to the completion of the project which will revitalise the area making it a safer and less-congested place for drivers and pedestrians."