Rubble is all that remains of Bury St Edmunds house and shop as demolition starts

A Bury St Edmunds town centre building has been demolished this week to make way for new flats.

The house, retail unit and car park at 5a King's Road were knocked down on Monday and yesterday, with only rubble left at the site today.

Planning approval for nine apartments, car parking and bike parking was granted by West Suffolk Council in the summer.

The scheme will see two blocks of apartments built, with parking and facilities in a courtyard between them.

The scheme includes five two-bedroom flats and four one-bedroom flats, with seven car parking spaces and access to the development through an undercroft off King's Road.

Bury Town Council had objected on the grounds of poor design and large scale, with ward Cllr Wakelam raising concerns over the scheme being overbearing and too high.

Meanwhile, a neighbour objection had reiterated concerns over scale and highways safety.

Planning permission was previously granted in 2008 for redevelopment of the site with 19 apartments and later in 2018 and 2020 for redevelopment with nine apartments in two blocks.