A date branded "D-Day" by Government, in reference to delays to road safety improvements at Collectors Hill, has passed.

But talks appear to be continuing with officials representing a landowner, said to be holding up work at the danger junction by demanding ten times more compensation than is being offered to five others.

That landowner is understood to be Gibbons Company, which owns land associated with the A1 Fine Foods Market, near the junction of Collectors Hill and South Road.

Works Minister David Burch had named July 31 as "D-Day", the date he said he would issue a compulsory purchase order (CPO) should a deal not be struck so work could continue.asked Government this week whether a CPO was now being enforced because this deadline date of July 31 had passed.

A statement from the Ministry on Monday said: "As it relates to the Collector's Hill project, the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing continues the negotiation process with the specific land owners. The Ministry remains optimistic that a resolution is imminent."

Announcing his deadline last month, Sen. Burch said that technical officers were optimistic of a resolution soon ? so a CPO might not be needed.

The road improvement scheme started in January. But it came to a halt after hitting a stumbling block over negotiations with one of six landowners involved.