A disused block of flats in Beaumont Leys is to be demolished to make way for new affordable housing.
Contractors have been appointed to carry out the demolition of The Leys building, off Upper Temple Walk, with work due to begin from Monday 27 October.
The demolition will be carried out by O’Connell Contracting. The seven-storey building will be dismantled floor-by-floor due to its proximity to neighbouring buildings, with the demolition expected to take around five months to complete.
Leicester City Council intends to develop the site, and adjoining land at John Calvert Court, to deliver 52 new council homes and a toddler playground for use by the wider community.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, who leads on housing, economy and neighbourhoods, said: “The demolition of The Leys building will be the next step of our ongoing ambitious plans to deliver more than 1,500 new affordable homes across the city.
“Leicester continues to face a housing crisis. It is essential we do everything we can to address the growing demand for high-quality affordable housing in the city. Our plans for The Leys site would see 52 new, high-quality council homes that will help meet the needs of local people and provide a boost to the area.”
The city council bought The Leys after it had stood empty for a number of years. Previous attempts at attracting a developer to refurbish and bring the existing building back into use as housing were unsuccessful.
