Demolition starts on Peterborough multi-storey car park

Works to deconstruct Northminster multi-storey car park have got underway this week.
Northminster car park EMN-190726-115704009Northminster car park EMN-190726-115704009
Northminster car park EMN-190726-115704009

Peterborough City Council has appointed Armac Demolition Limited to complete the project, which is expected to take up to six months.

As part of the works, the footpath beside the car park on Cattle Market Road will be closed from Monday 25 November 2019 in the interests of public safety. The walkway between the market and the car park, Market Way, will also be closed from Monday 2 December 2019 to allow the contractor to erect scaffolding. During this time people will be able to walk through the market when it is open, and at all other times along Cattle Market Road and then onto City Road to access Northminster.

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The council announced in August that the car park would be removed after two independent surveys by structural engineers confirmed that the structure had reached the end of its life and recommended either demolition or significant investment and a lengthy restoration period to allow it to remain open.

The 720-space car park on Cattle Market Road was constructed during the late 1970s and it was therefore known to be reaching the end of its expected lifespan.

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Since the closure was confirmed the council has worked closely with the tenants of the nine shop units beneath the car park to ensure the units were vacated by the end of October. In addition, ten stallholders on the adjacent market whose pitches were the closest to the car park have vacated for the duration of the demolition work. A number have set up in other units across the city centre.

Councillor Peter Hiller, cabinet member for strategic planning, commercial strategy and investments, said: “Although we have appointed a demolition company and they take responsibility for the site from this week, it is unlikely people will see too much from the outside of the building for a number of weeks.

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“This won’t be a quick demolition owing to the proximity of other buildings, as the building will need to be deconstructed brick by brick, piece by piece, almost the reverse of when it was built you might say.

“We will be working with Armac to ensure it is deconstructed as soon as possible, so that we can replace it with a ground level car park.

“Although every effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum, we apologise for any inconvenience that these works cause.”