Going, going ... gone!

Ipswich Star: Rubble and mangled metail is all that remains of Anzani House at Felixstowe Picture: RICHARD CORNWELLRubble and mangled metail is all that remains of Anzani House at Felixstowe Picture: RICHARD CORNWELL (Image: Archant)

All that remains of one the largest buildings in Suffolk is a mountain of rubble after weeks of work by demolition experts, who are now clearing the site ready for its redevelopment as part of the 14-week project.

CDC Demolition has knocked down the six-storey Anzani House office block on the edge of Felixstowe port ready to make way for a new distribution centre.

The demolition crews stripped the interior of the 1970s-built office block – which until 2008 housed BT staff – before working on dismantling the shell with high-rise specialist equipment plus water-fogging to minimise dust.

Workers are currently taking away the huge piles of smashed concrete and mangled metal from the site in Trinity Avenue.

Ipswich Star: Anzani House as it used to be Picture: JERRY TURNERAnzani House as it used to be Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: Archant)

At one time there were plans to convert the building into nearly 200 apartments, but now Maritime Transport Ltd is to use the seven-acre site for a distribution and container storage facility along with lorry parking, gatehouse and staff welfare facilities.

East Suffolk Council agreed the demolition as Anzani House was said to be in a “poor condition”, which detracted from the entrance to the Port of Felixstowe, and also suffered numerous break-in attempts.

Planning documents said: “The proposed development will provide a modern, flexible storage and distribution facility.

“This will support the ongoing growth of the Port of Felixstowe and the cluster of surrounding port-related uses.

Ipswich Star: Contractors working on the 14-week project to bring down Anzani House at Felixstowe Picture: RICHARD CORNWELLContractors working on the 14-week project to bring down Anzani House at Felixstowe Picture: RICHARD CORNWELL (Image: Archant)

“Anzani House is an outmoded building and has proven difficult to let; its demolition and replacement with storage and distribution uses will retain employment uses at the site and support jobs in the haulage industry.”

Ipswich Star: Contractors are now clearing the site to create a new distribution centre Picture: RICHARD CORNWELLContractors are now clearing the site to create a new distribution centre Picture: RICHARD CORNWELL (Image: Archant)