Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has confirmed that Victorian lamps near Market Street are to be removed as it paves the way for new street lighting columns to be installed in Enniskillen.

A spokesman said this is "to achieve street lighting levels that comply with current public safety standards" as part of the Enniskillen Public Realm Scheme.

It follows a letter of complaint, signed by some business owners, issued to the Council after the proposal to remove the historic lights was mooted.

Now the Council has confirmed this to be the case, telling this newspaper that the design of the Enniskillen Public Realm Scheme "was developed through extensive public consultation and the planning approval process with all comments received during the consultation process fully considered when finalising the design."

"The new street lighting column design includes brackets to support the display of decorative fixtures including hanging basket floral displays. This design approach minimises obstacles on the pavement which can compromise the accessibility and safety of the streetscape to pedestrians. The Council will retain the existing street light and floral display poles for reuse in future projects where possible," said the spokesman.