Demolition of Exeter bus station imminent

Preferred contractor to start initial work, including archeological investigations, ahead of construction of St. Sidwell's Point

Archeological investigations will take place under Exeter's old bus station this summer, ahead of its redevelopment as a leisure complex, with a smaller bus station next to it.

Kier, the construction company that's just become the city's preferred contractor for St Sidwell's Point and new bus station, will undertake the investigations as part of first-stage work ahead of the main building getting underway.

But before they can delve into archeology, they'll have to demolish the old waiting room and canopy of the now-redundant bus station. They'll also put in a new substation, divert utilities and remove any contamination.

All this will take till October, and will help them work out the final contract price. The council expects then to sign up Kier for the main build.

The £4 billion British company's construction expertise spans many sectors, including hospitals, schools and prisons. They say they'll be creating a first-class leisure facility for Exeter and their work will leave a lasting legacy.

Councillor Phil Bialyk, who has responsibility for the bus station redevelopment, said: “It is great news to announce our partnership with Kier on this crucial redevelopment project. “There is still some work to do, but I can’t wait for the construction work to finally get underway. Everyone knows that we desperately need a brand new leisure centre and bus station in the city, and this is another milestone on the road to delivering it.”

The initial work will enable any risks on the site to be assessed. Before October, as well as the archeological work and demolition, they be removing any contamination, undertaking utility diversions and installing incoming services, and installing a substation. This stage will help Kier to calculate the final contract price. A report will then be drawn up for the council’s programme board to consider in the autumn.