Work on one of the biggest office demolition projects ever seen in Cardiff will start next week.
The now vacant 120,000 sq ft St David's House in the centre of Cardiff, will make way for the next phase of the Central Square development scheme.
Demolition work, which is expected to be completed by September, will be carried out by Cardiff Demolition.
All the hardcore will be recycled for various construction projects across the Cardiff Capital Region.
Work will start from the Scott Road end of the site on February 25th and continue to March 15th, when work will cease for the Wales v Ireland rugby international at the nearby Principality Stadium.
Work will then recommence on March 18th from the Havelock Street end of the site and progress in a westerly direction.
In its place there will eventually be 5,000 square metres of open space public realm.
In its second phase there are plans for a retail pavilion and provision for the storage of up to 120 bikes.
Work on the first phase of the tree-lined public realm, extending to 2,500 sq mts, will be completed in early 2020.
The second phase will be completed when the proposed 180,000 sq ft No 5 Central Square office scheme is realised.
While subject to a separate programme of works, the initial phase of public realm will also have the first public statue in Wales in honour of a woman.
Following a public vote, through the Hidden Heroines campaign, the statue will be of the late Betty Campbell who was the first black woman head teacher in Wales.
The artist chosen to design the statue in memory of Cardiff-born Ms Campbell will be announced in May.
The public realm has been designed by architectural firm Gensler.
Central Square is being developed by Cardiff-based property development firm Rightacres.
The scheme is already home to a number of fully let offices schemes in the 1 and 2 Central Square buildings.
A new 150,000 sq ft HQ for BBC Cymru Wales has been completed and is now being fitted out by the public service broadcaster.
The first of around 1,200 staff are expected to relocate to the building from the broadcaster's existing HQ site in the Llandaff area of the city later this year.
The public realm at the St David's House site will be overlooked by a new 270,000 sq ft new public sector hub office building.
The 6&7 Central Square scheme will house a new headquarters for HMRC in Wales, as well space for other non-devolved public sector organisations such as the Wales Office. It is expected to house up to 4,000 staff.
The building is on schedule to be handed over to HMRC in November and will be ready for occupancy next year.
Cardiff-based Rightacres are now working up plans on the proposed L-shaped 5 Central Square office scheme, next to the public sector hub building.
A planning application is expected to be submitted to Cardiff Council by the summer. Subject to approval Rightacres will be on site by the end of the year.
And subject to pre-lets - the signing up of tenants before work starts - L&G is expected to forward fund the scheme.
The proposed 12 floor office building, like the public realm, has also been designed by Gensler.
It is expected that the building will be home to a number of tenants.
