Demolition set to begin at former supermarket
BBCDemolition work is due to begin on a former Iceland store in the coming days.
Work to pull down the vacant building on Charles Street in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, will start on Monday, the council said.
It is expected to take about six weeks to complete, paving the way for the first phase of the £20m brownfield regeneration scheme at Etruscan Square.
The demolition will enable work on the initial phase of the scheme, which would be centred around the old supermarket and car park area. It will require temporary footpath and partial road closures on Charles Street, the council said.
Local residents and businesses had been informed, the authority said, adding the hope was that carrying out the work would help reduce anti-social behaviour nearby and cut ongoing maintenance costs of the empty building.
Financial backing for the project has come from the government Levelling Up fund.
The site is earmarked for new city centre homes, with the redevelopment part of a wider masterplan to transform the city centre between now and 2050.
'Much-needed homes'
"The start of demolition work at the former Iceland store marks another important milestone in bringing the long-awaited Etruscan Square brownfield regeneration project forward," said cabinet member for growth, regeneration and transport, Finlay Gordon-McCusker.
"These works will not only ensure we have no potential issues associated with an empty building but also prepare the ground for the first phase of development.
"Etruscan Square is one of the most significant regeneration opportunities in Stoke-on-Trent, and it will help transform Hanley by delivering much-needed new homes, including affordable housing, while helping create a more attractive and vibrant city centre."
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