Work yet to start on city centre building

COUNCIL BOUGHT IT FOR £5M BUT LOOKING AT 'OPTIONS'

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

WORK has yet to start on a massive block of Plymouth city centre flats a year after the council splashed £5m on it. The authority yesterday told The Herald it was still looking at “options” for the Royal Building, at St Andrews Cross, and that talks were ongoing.

The prominent building, which had been a student accommodation block until the council purchased it in October last year, was planned to be turned into temporary housing for homeless families.

When the council bought it, the building consisted of self-contained student apartments, each with common living areas, and the idea was to convert it into 30 one-, twoand three-bedroom flats suitable for families in need of a short-term place to live.