AN AMBITIOUS scheme for a major new shopping building in York city centre is about to get under way.

Nine shops on the corner of Spurriergate and High Ousegate have either closed or moved as developers Equitable Life prepare to knock down the 1950s building and build a new one.

The new building is expected to be finished in October next year.

It will be made of a stone and glass and will house six shops and 13 flats.

The front of the new building will be brought forward so that it is level with the adjacent NatWest Bank. The entrance to the flats will be in Peter Lane.

Peter Heron, a partner of King Sturge, acting for Equitable Life, said that the demolition of the building was "imminent".

He said: "We will be hoping to start work very soon.

"It's going to be a quality building, considerably nicer than it is at the moment."

Responding to speculation on possible occupiers, Mr Heron said there would not be any supermarket, but was not yet able to say what the new shops would be.

The project has involved a lengthy planning process that has taken three years to come to fruition.

Planners finally gave permission for the project to go ahead in April this year.

The building's owners were criticised last year when a shopper was injured by falling tiles.

Equitable Life's director of property investment, David Evans, responded to the incident, saying the building was in a "decrepit" state.

Reaction to the news that work was finally about to begin on the building was mixed among staff in nearby shops.

Some were worried about the disruption the demolition process would cause to the street, which is used by up to 3,000 pedestrians every hour.

One said: "We are concerned about the disruption to the road - this is such a busy street, I don't know how they are going to do it."

Others felt that the building was in urgent need of attention and welcomed the redevelopment.

Peter Evely, head of network development at City of York Council, said the council had made suggestions to the developers on how they could cause minimum disruption to the street.

He said: "Obviously you can't knock down something that big in that part of the city without causing problems.

"There will be significant disruption.

"We have got together a method of work which would minimise the difficulties and which would keep pedestrian movement flowing."

Mr Evely stressed that the developers had not yet responded to the suggestions, but Martin Herbert, an agent for Equitable Life, reassured shop keepers that disruption to the street would be kept to a minimum.

Updated: 08:34 Tuesday, October 14, 2003