Bretonside bus station is finally about to be demolished

Sections of Bretonside bus station are about to be demolished – officially marking the start of its £42million redevelopment.

Builders will soon be moving onto the run-down site for the first stage of demolition works, before the former coach depot undergoes a complete revamp.

But before anything can be built, a survey on the Exeter Street viaduct will have to be undertaken by council inspectors to ensure it is structurally sound.

The site was fenced off at the end of last year in readiness for the massive regeneration project, which will see a 12-screen cinema and restaurant complex built in its place.

It is being redeveloped as part of a major investment package proposed by British Land, the UK's largest listed retail landlord.

The first phase will see parts of the site demolished and the station stripped of asbestos.

Although a start date is yet to be confirmed, McLaren Construction Group, which is undertaking the work, estimates the job will take six weeks.

The company will be undertaking the initial "strip-out" works to allow Plymouth City Council to undertake inspections of the viaduct structure running above the former depot in advance of the main works starting.

In a planning application, the group says the "key milestones" of the programme are demolition survey enabling works, initial works consisting of site set up of welfare facilities and traffic management, needle sweep, asbestos removal, clean air test, soft strip, demolition of non-structural partitions, M&E surface strip and removal of decorative finishes and column casings.

'The main entrance gate on Bretonside will be controlled and monitored at all times to avoid unauthorised access. The existing gatehouse will be utilised as a source of power, if required, to power CCTV surveillance cameras.

'During the demolition works public footways will be protected by being on the outside of timber hoarding. There is however two units earmarked for demolition on the public side which will require the existing hoarding reconfiguring to provide a pedestrian safe zone.

'During the demolition phase the contractor offices, welfare and car parking will be on site, within the old bus station area. Signage will be in place along Bretonside warning of the site entrance and construction works.'

I'm going to lie down in front of the diggers for James.

That's how it's done brent

Freathy wrote:

That's how it's done brent

good news, lets see what a real developer can do.

Bretonside still has some engineering challenges to overcome. SWW are playing hardball over rainwater collection not going to sewer which could mean dedicated pipe to Sutton Harbour and there is existing Shaft 13 of tunnel network done in 98 running under car park which has associated control system that needs to be housed in new building.