Workmen at the former Fishmarket site in Northampton town centre have now begun work to erect the town’s new bus terminal.
Northampton Borough Council took down the safety barriers surrounding the building site, off Sheep Street, today to show off the future bus interchange as it begins to emerge from the ground.
Until this week workers had been busy demolishing the former arts centre and clearing the site.
Work is now set to start on creating the steel frame that will mark the first stage of the construction of the new bus interchange.
The council says erecting the steel frame will take several weeks and once in place the brickwork can begin marking the next phase of development.
Councillor Tim Hadland, Northampton Borough Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning said: “Now that the demolition work has been completed we can look forward to the new bus interchange taking shape and becoming the modern welcome to Northampton our town centre deserves.
“Through Northampton Alive we are not only changing the appearance of our town, but each building is improving on what went before.
“The old bus station is costly to maintain, far too big, too dark and has to be accessed by going up and down floors.
“The design of the new bus interchange will change all that as we welcome people to our town with a modern building where everything is on one floor and natural light will make it a much more pleasant environment.”
Chris Garden, director of regeneration at West Northamptonshire Development Corporation, said: “To attract new jobs and investment to Northampton, we firstly need to strengthen its core infrastructure.
“That’s why we are investing in the new Bus Interchange, which will offer a bright, welcoming and efficient way to arrive in the town.
“Together with the new and improved railway station, which starts construction this summer, it means local people will have transport facilities that are truly fit for the future.”
The new bus interchange is expected to open in spring 2014, replacing Greyfriars bus station.
Greyfriars is then due to be demolished.