THE first stage of the project to demolish the Carlton Street car park has been completed.

What many have branded an eyesore, next to the bus station, is being taken down to make way for proposed new offices, shops and apartments.

Work started in July and the changes are already visible to shoppers and residents, with work set to last 14 weeks in total.

The demolition is being carried out by Lawson, which was contracted by the council.

A spokesman for the company said: “The methodology to complete the demolition of the Carlton Street car park has been broken up into a four-phased plan, dismantling a quarter of the car park at a time throughout the duration of the 14-week programme.

“The first phase, comprising of the demolition of two sections of the entire height of the building to the north east elevation, is completed.

“Lawson Group anticipates recycling 100 per cent of the demolition arisings, with concrete crushed and processed for reuse in future works and steel being recycled.”

The work is the first part of some major work which will change the shape of the Swindon skyline.

Soon, the demolition of the Wyvern Street car park, which has now been shut, will start and then the pedestrian crossing over Princes Street is set to be taken down early next year.

This second part of the project is to make way for a proposed cultural quarter, which will eventually house a new art gallery and museum and possibly a new Wyvern Theatre.

Councillor Garry Perkins, (Con, Haydon Wick), the cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This work will pave the way for further major improvements to the town centre.

“In a few short years we’ve seen the building of the new Whalebridge car park, the Regent Circus development which swept away the old college, improvements to the pedestrian areas of the town centre, the new station forecourt, the demolition of Aspen House and the recent application for a new leisure complex next to The Oasis at North Star.

“It all takes time but we are making significant progress and we were doing so even before the recession began to lift. This shows the faith the private sector has in Swindon’s future economic prospects.”

While the work is taking place, users of the Wyvern Theatre are asked to use the Kimmerfield or Regent Circus car park.