Vacant department stores are being pulled down and new residential-led development sill take their place as part of the regeneration of Northampton town centre.
At 35-45 Abington Street, the old Marks & Spencer聽(M&S), British Home Stores (BHS) and the Job Centre are all coming down.
Demolition specialist Colemans has completed preparatory works, including internal soft strip, services disconnection and the safe removal of asbestos. Hoarding and scaffolding have been installed along Abington Street and Wellington Street, and heavy machinery, including 40-tonne and 70-tonne excavators, has now entered the site to begin mechanical demolition, initially focusing on the former M&S building.
Throughout the process, Colemans is working with West Northamptonshire Council to minimise disruption to nearby residents and businesses. Measures include secure hoarding, robotic demolition for precision and reduced noise.
Colemans project manager James Doherty said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased with the progress made so far, with the safe delivery of heavy machinery to site marking an important milestone.
鈥淥ur team is now carrying out the careful deconstruction of the buildings using a combination of precision equipment and controlled sequencing.
鈥淭his approach allows us to safely remove each structure while keeping the site secure and disruption to a minimum.鈥�
Cllr James Petter, cabinet member for local economy, culture and leisure at West Northamptonshire Council, said: 鈥淐olemans have made excellent progress so far to carefully deconstruct these long-vacant buildings, overcoming complex challenges such as asbestos removal and site preparation, and we鈥檙e now seeing the physical transformation take shape.
鈥淭his phase of works is all about preparing the site ready for a developer to come on board and deliver a vibrant scheme that will bring much-needed housing, modern retail and leisure spaces, and a more attractive public realm.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bold step forward in our long-term strategy to revitalise Northampton, support local businesses, and attract new investment. I鈥檓 proud of the work being done and excited for what鈥檚 to come.鈥�
The renewal of 35-45 Abington Street is supported by 拢9.7m from central government鈥檚 Towns Fund.
Once demolition is complete, the site will be transformed into a residential-led development with flexible ground-floor units for retail and leisure and five floors of residential apartments above.
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