Major redevelopment is investment in the town’s long-term future - Barnes Construction

The start of construction on a major West Suffolk Council redevelopment in the heart of Bury St Edmunds town centre will begin this week.

We have been appointed to carry out the work at 17-18 Cornhill, the site of the former Post Office. Concertus Design and Property Consultants is the contractor appointed architect and Superstructures is the structural engineer for the scheme, which has been designed to keep the original historic Cornhill front. The rest of the building including parts which were added on at a later stage, will be demolished and replaced with two ground floor business units and 12 flats above. This in turn will enable the Council’s and the public’s ambition to widen the pedestrian walkway at Market Thoroughfare as well as creating a new front onto St Andrews Street South.

The redevelopment is in line with the aspirations of the town centre masterplan which was shaped by 8000 public comments and follows hugely positive feedback from a public exhibition of design concepts in 2018. Throughout the design process, the Council has continued to work closely with town centre partners, whose input has further shaped the scheme.

Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “It is a challenging time for many of our residents, businesses and the Council, but we are investing in the long term future of the Bury St Edmunds town centre as a place of continuing economic, social and cultural activity.

“Furthermore, we are delivering on what people asked for when they helped shape the vision for the town centre in the masterplan in 2017.”