ONE year after approval was given to demolish vacant ‘eyesore’ buildings in Poole, work has begun.

The old buildings on the Fourways site at Constitution Hill Road have been deteriorating and Poole Mayor Cllr Phil Eades has questioned why they have not yet been removed.

He said he had received a number of complaints from residents and pointed out that the decision to clear the site was taken by cabinet in December 2012, with a planning application registered in March 2013.

“I would like to know just exactly what is the hold up here?” said Cllr Eades. “Local residents really have had enough of looking at this site every day and indeed it is on one of Poole’s busiest routes into and out of town.

“Once the cabinet had taken the decision to bulldoze Fourways it should have happened immediately.”

Councillors were told the cost of securing the buildings over three years was £186,150 while demolishing them would cost £124,400.

However work started two months ago on the former day centre buildings, which will be the site of Poole’s new junior school.

In September the Department for Education allocated provisional funding of £3.8million for a new junior school for 360 pupils aged seven to 11, sponsored by Aspirations Academies Trust.

Hugh Lambourne, senior property manager, Borough of Poole said: “Work to demolish the Fourways buildings began in November and we expect it to be completed by mid-February.

“We appointed O’Brien Demolition to carry out the work and the buildings have already been stripped of asbestos, services, fittings and fixtures.

“Once the building is demolished we look forward to work commencing on the new junior school for Poole.”

The council intends to appoint a contractor in March with the intention of starting work in July. The new school is expected to open in September 2015.