New city masterplan amid demolition fears

ANNOUNCING A VISION FOR THE CITY CENTRE 'CAN BE UNSETTLING FOR BUSINESSES'

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

SPECIALISTS have been brought in to create a masterplan for the city centre amid rumours that buildings and car parks are to be torn down.

Plymouth City Council has engaged experts to work out where 10,000 new homes will be built and how the schools, health centres, car parks and transport links that will be needed can be fitted in too.

Businesses have told The Herald they fear the Mayflower Street East Car Park, and some buildings around it, may be demolished after Government quango Homes England acquired the site of the former Good Companions pub, Mayflower House and ex-Salvation Army Congress Hall, with plans to knock down both of them. The council could not say whether further demolitions would happen but said there could be more land or building acquisitions and admitted it was an “unsettling” time for businesses in the area.