The News Centre building demolition continues - latest pictures from the Hilsea site which will be transformed into a bus depot

The work began in September with the rear of the site cleared first, with new aerial pictures and video showing that much of the inside and roof of the building which was home to the printing press has now been removed. Work has not yet started to demolish the iconic frontage to The News Centre which was home to The Portsmouth News until 2013 – though the newspaper itself was still published at the site until it was sold to DMG Media, the publisher of the Daily Mail, Metro and i newspapers in 2020.

First Bus announced its purchase of the site in London Road in March which it plans to turn onto a ‘super bus depot’ for its electric fleet. Earlier this year planning permission was granted by Portsmouth City Council for the clearance of the site, including the demolition of the main building, despite calls to retain at least some of the historic frontage of the landmark building.

No planning application has been submitted for the bus depot itself yet, however First Bus is asking Portsmouth City Council whether it needs environmental assessments to be carried out as part of its application.

See the latest images and video courtesy of Marcin Jedrysiak.