RESIDENTS surrounding an old school site can expect to see demolition vehicles passing through their neighbourhood after plans were finalised.

Following preliminary works, building contractor Balfour Beatty can begin knocking down the old Marriotts School buildings off Telford Avenue, Stevenage, after a demolition plan was agreed by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) last week.

The plans, which include tackling asbestos within the buildings, will see demolition vehicles travel to the site via Newton Road off Chells Way, with access restricted between 10am and 4pm.

An agreement has also been reached which will see demolition vehicles held in a lay-by near the Sainsbury’s Coreys Mill supermarket if there is not sufficient space on the site when they arrive in Stevenage.

The demolition work and subsequent construction of a synthetic all-weather pitch and a 119-space car park is expected to be completed by early August.

Students moved to Marriotts Lonsdale School, which backs onto the old site and is accessed via Brittain Way, in January with the facilities expected to be ready for the start of term in September.

Chells county councillor Robin Parker queried a number of points prior to the demolition plan being approved.

Speaking on Wednesday, he said: “I was not satisfied with a number of aspects of the suggested demolition plan, so I sent a list of necessary changes and clarifications. Now all my requirements have been agreed by Balfour Beatty, so officials at HCC will agree the plan from today and they can now go ahead with the demolition.

“There is no denying that the demolition will cause some local disruption. However, the job has to be done and I am determined that local residents will be inconvenienced as little as possible.

“Originally myself and some residents wanted the demolition vehicles to use a route across to the new Brittain Way entrance, but all the engineers told us that this was simply not possible, or safe, mainly because of a major water main under the ground there. An alternative route alongside Fairlands Valley was denied by Stevenage Borough Council. So, HCC was left with no alternative but to use Telford Avenue and Newton Road.”