BULLDOZERS are in full swing at a former psychiatric hospital site to make way for hundreds of new homes.

Three developers are building a total of 730 homes on the former Severalls Hospital site in Colchester.

The project has been in the pipeline for more than 20 years and the first of the homes are due to be built later this year.

Although almost all of the original hospital buildings remain largely in tact so far, only a handful are due to be kept.

These include the front part of an administration building and entrance block, the attendant’s residence, water tower, part of Western wards and airing court shelters.

Among the buildings still due to be demolished is the chapel which had stained glass windows commissioned in 1963 for the hospital’s golden anniversary. The chapel will be taken down tile by tile.

However, the chapel bell will be saved.

The organ has also been given a new home at La Richardais church in Brittany, close to the popular holiday destination of Dinard.

The hospital off Boxted Road closed in 1997.

The new estate is being built by Bloor Homes, Bellway Homes and Taylor Wimpey and will be a mix of flats, bungalows and houses.

The homes being built by Bellway and Bloor will become the Kingswood Heath estate.