WORK to demolish an eyesore former takeaway to create a new gateway link between the city centre and the River Severn is unlikely to be carried out until at least next year.

The former Jaqk’s takeaway in Foregate Street was bought by Worcester City Council as part of plans to demolish the building to link the city’s main Worcester Foregate Street station with the new multi-million-pound redeveloped Arches, the Hive and the River Severn.

The council said it is still putting together a planning application to demolish the former takeaway and was expecting to submit it “later this year.”

The lack of a complete planning application means a decision is unlikely to be made for months with the work not beginning until even longer.

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Asked whether there is an expected deadline for the work, the council said it was relying on the application to be approved before it could reveal a target date.

The boarded-up former chicken shop, which greets people leaving Worcester Foregate Street has been shut up since closing in 2021 and looks a far sight from the vision for the area first revealed by the council more than 12 months ago.

Those images showed a cleaned-up and greener Foregate Street with new plants and trees leading up a freshly paved trail towards the recently regenerated and re-opened railway arches.

Worcester News:

The city council revealed more than two years ago it was planning to buy and then demolish the takeaway to create a new path.

The demolition of the former takeaway and the new route does still form a key part of the £4.5 million Arches project which has seen a number of new creative and performance spaces opened in the historic Victorian railway arches.

The huge project was awarded more than £3 million in funding from the Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England.

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Last week, council bosses revealed they were looking at making further bids to Arts Council England for funding as it weighs up its options for another eyesore building nearby.

The old Co-op building in Angel Street was supposed to be transformed into a new food hall and offices as part of multi-million-pound regeneration plans, but the council is now looking at demolishing the building.