Shoalhaven City Council has received a $935,000 grant under the state government's Your High Street program to upgrade Junction Court, to make it more "pedestrian friendly" and improve the look and feel of the precinct.

The work will see a ground mural over the paths and street, along with shading and seating being installed, incorporating children play and activity areas.

Council has scheduled work to start next Monday, October 11, the same day the region comes out of COVID restrictions.

The area will be closed for at least two months, reopening mid December.

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Now retired, John Macey has been in business in Nowra for more than 50 years and owns a number of properties and says a lot of the small businesses to the east of Junction Court would have no idea council intended to even close the area to undertake the refurbishment.

"I own property in the area and I only found out on Wednesday in the mail that the work was going ahead," Mr Macey said.

"A lot of the small shops in that area have been closed due to COVID.

"They would have no idea, they will turn up on Monday ready to reopen and find the road is closed, the area fenced off and no passing foot traffic.

"The state is opening up but council is closing part of Nowra down.

"Surely, council could wait and do this work later?"

"Where's their compassion? Where's their heart?

"A lot of these small businesses are hurting, really hurting due to COVID.

"And now when they can finally reopen they are faced with this. It's not fair and not right."

Mr Macey, who was joined in Junction Court on Friday by another local property owner John Bowden, who has also taken up the issue with council, said the work could be put off until the new year.

"Why are they hitting these small businesses now?" Mr Bowden said.

"We put up with Junction Court being closed for 12 years and the anti-social behaviour that came with it. Council finally opened it up and it's working well why change it now?"

Mr Macey said he contacted council and asked if the small businesses had been informed.

"I was told where they could they [the small businesses in Junction Street between the end of Junction Court and Nowra Lane] were notified, while others had letters slid under their doors," he said.

"What good it that if the business is closed and no one has been in the shops for months?

"They will have had no idea this is planned?

"The letters are there, under the door."

He suggested the work should be put off until the new year.

"At least give these small businesses a fair go," he said "give them a chance to get back on their feet.

"This work could surely have been done through lockdown, or leave it to the new year - March or April when they are back operating something like semi normal.

"I don't know why Junction Court has to be upgraded now anyway?"

A council spokesperson said since the start of the year the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee and council have been working in partnership on several significant projects to support local business sustainability and growth, including the revitalisation of Junction Court as one of the CBD's key public spaces.

"The Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee endorsed the project following several months of early community engagement, input from council staff and local businesses and detailed design development," the spokesperson said.

"The timeline for the works has been discussed since the outset of the project, with works planned to be completed ahead of the Christmas trade period."

In a press release from council on Wednesday, Mayor Amanda Findley she was "delighted to see the works get underway to transform the Junction Court area into a more community-friendly space to attract more visitors to Nowra CBD."

"While the works will see some disturbance to adjacent local businesses, we appreciate the community's patience whilst these works are undertaken," Cr Findley said.

Most of the construction work will be undertaken by council's own construction crews, supplemented by specialist sub-contractors as required.

The area will remain closed to all vehicle traffic to allow construction and a safety fence to be installed prior to work starting.

Work is expected to be completed by Friday, December 10.

While pedestrian access will be maintained though the duration of construction, pedestrians will still need to take care in the vicinity of the works and abide by signage and the instruction of construction staff.

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