Here is a news article from Plymouth Herald
Plymouth's new £4.85million coach hub it set to be officially opened next week – but workers are still on site completing the finishing touches. Herald reporter SARAH WADDINGTON takes a look back to see how the station has taken shape
It has been over two years in the planning and has taken just nine months to construct, and now the city's long-awaited coach station is nearly ready to welcome its first passengers.
On Wednesday a ribbon will be cut by council leader Ian Bowyer, before it officially opens the following day for services.
When the diggers moved onto the site in January, it was hard to imagine how the area would be transformed, but now the space – once home to a multi storey car park – is unrecognisable.
The final parts of the Mayflower Car Park were removed in the centre of Plymouth in October 2015, after The Herald revealed serious structural weaknesses in the site.
Two months later British Land served notice on the council to vacate Bretonside bus station, ready for that site to be redeveloped into a £40million leisure complex
The deal saw the development giant pump £2million into the building of the new coach station.
The Bretonside complex, which could include a 12-screen cinema and 18-metre-high Imax screen, was described at the time to be a "long-awaited development" for Plymouth.
"It is a huge statement of confidence in the future of Plymouth that British Land are making such a significant investment," said Tim Jones, chairman of Devon and Cornwall Business Council.
"I believe there has been a very significant shift in the market, in the culture of wanting to eat out and enjoy good food and social activity.
"This is being seen right across cities such as Plymouth.
"The local operators have got a valuable role to play, but it's adding a significant amount to cities like Plymouth that bigger restaurant operators are opening.
"I don't think we need to be frightened of that."
Tenants within the former station at Bretonside were forced to leave and relocate, including White Rabbit – a music venue – and Last Shop Standing, one of Plymouth's most popular record shops.
Councillor Mark Lowry, who had special responsibility for finance at the time, said the new coach hub would provide "better facilities for passengers" and will "bring thousands more people to the West End".
"Our city centre supports over 14,000 jobs and we need to keep evolving to keep people coming in," he said.
"These are exciting times for Plymouth and its retailers and I hope they are encouraged by the new levels of interest from significant investors who believe in Plymouth."
And the coach station isn't the only big change for Plymouth this year.
In March, the final books were placed on the shelves at the city centre's new library.
The current library and museum will close on Saturday, September 3 before the incredible £34 million History Centre is opened in 2020.
Plymouth's tallest building, Beckley Court, is also under construction.
The £29.5million structure is already towering over the city centre and next year the public will be able to enjoy views from the top.
The whole of Plymouth is undergoing a major makeover, and deputy council leader Patrick Nicholson said the new station will change people's perceptions of Britain's Ocean City.
"For a long time people have felt that Bretonside did not give the welcome a modern city should give visitors," he said.
"This new coach station will change that.
"We hope it will also mean more people spend money in and around this part of the city centre."
Giant canopies, which will provide cover for passengers getting on and off coaches, can be seen on the eastern end of the site, and the former Lloyds Bank building has been converted into a ticket office.
Former council leader Tudor Evans had declared: "It's huge and even bigger than Manchester's coach station."
Granite stones have been laid in what will be an outside waiting area, creating the "chequered board" look which features across the coach station.
The western side of the site has been turned into parking spaces for 97 cars.
Trees have also been planted alongside the edges of the site, bringing more colour to the area.
The new coach station has seven coach stands to serve National Express and Megabus, and a blue badge holder drop-off bay.
The entry from Mayflower Street will be for coaches and cars, but will have a signalling system to hold cars back from exiting while coaches are entering. Cars will also be able to use the Market Way entrance
Kevin Gale, service delivery director National Express UK Coach said: "We have worked closely with the council and their contractors from the outset and throughout the development of the scheme to deliver the best possible outcome for our customers.
"Coach travel is an important part of the public transport offer and Plymouth is a key location for National Express.
"It's great to see a city invest in facilities that will meet current demand and support a growing coach market."
Read more at http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/just-one-week-left-to-go-until-plymouth-s-new-4-85million-coach-hub-officially-opens/story-29677176-detail/story.html#00MIXOf0C7Ws2DQS.99
Photos of the new coach station will appear on Buses around Plymouth later this week
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