BUSINESS bosses have said a £4.7 million development in Colchester’s former bus station will open next year.

The multi-million pound blueprints set to dramatically renovate the derelict site will create a set of at least 12 digital and creative work spaces over four floors inside the former First depot, in Queen Street.

Plans also include a café and an arcade-style walkthrough from Queen Street to a new public square behind, being created as part of Alumno’s controversial student flats development.

Funding for the £4.7 million project will arrive from the Southeast Local Enterprise Partnership and via the Government’s Town Deal Fund.

Gazette: The scheme as seen from along the town wallThe scheme as seen from along the town wall

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Colchester Council’s economy and business boss now believes the days of commuting to London will soon be gone due to the opportunities available in Colchester.

Darius Laws said: “It’s long overdue. We’ve been talking about regenerating Queen Street for at least 20 years and now we’re getting on with the job.

“Hopefully it’s going to be open for business outside of the typical nine to five. There’s a gym across the road that’s open 24/7 - people are going to want to work beyond nine to five and I’m excited about that.

“I think the days of you needing to go to London for everything are gone and there’s an opportunity here for Colchester.”

Gazette: The walkway seen from Short Wyre StreetThe walkway seen from Short Wyre Street (Image: Colchester Council)

Mr Laws, who also leads the council’s heritage approach, added the demolition of the existing bus depot must be undertaken carefully as a large portion is built on the almost 2,000-year-old Roman town wall.

He added: “This specific site is going to take about three months of demolition. Once that’s happened, there’s going to be around six months’ worth of archaeology on the site, which is a painstaking process and can sometimes take longer than expected.

“Then we can get on with the construction, and we hope we’ll be able to open the doors at some point in 2023.”

Mr Laws continued: “Colchester is packed with freelancers and creatives, but they don’t really have a hub to go to.

“This is the council stepping forward - we have identified an opportunity to help a sector which we believe there is a future in.”

You can hear more about the plans here.