Demolition of local landmark South Stoneham tower is due to begin at the start of 2022.
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Removal of internal fixtures and fittings is scheduled to begin before Christmas, although it’s thought preparatory work has already started.
Demolition of the tower and associated 1960s buildings is then due to start in January.
Contractors Keltbray will use “small machines to remove sections of the floor, starting from the top of the building and working their way down”, clearing material using the lift shaft chute.
“Any hazardous materials will be removed in accordance with current legislation and using best practice methods,” the University of Southampton, which owns the site, said in a letter.to neighbours. Display boards from a previous ‘Exhibition and Consultation’ [pdf] said that “some asbestos” had been identified, which will be removed by licensed contractors.
The site was once home to 215 university students and staff, but the buildings were last used by the University of Southampton in 2005.
“In 2005 there were concerns about the function and suitability of student facilities and rooms around the Manor House and those facilities were subsequently closed as structural issues arose,” said a university spokesperson.
Since then the tower has been “shrouded in scaffold and boarded up to protect against vandalism” – reportedly at huge cost.
While refurbishment of the 1960s buildings had been considered, it was apparently dismissed for a raft of reasons – not least that the “infrastructure has reached the end of its serviceable life”.
“Demolition of the 1960s buildings enable more appropriately located, scaled and designed replacement accommodation to be integrated and the [Grade II listed] Manor House and grounds re-established as a key visual asset at the junction,” explained the previous consultation boards.
The Manor House, below, is likely to be a key element in future student developments at the Wessex Lane site. Speaking to the Daily Echo in April, a university spokesperson said: “Our vision is to re-establish the site as part of the Wessex Halls of Residence Campus, whilst maintaining and restoring the Grade II listed Manor House and grounds.”
