Derby City Council HQ demolition work starts

The new building will have an open plan interior

Demolition work has started as part of the refurbishment of Derby City Council's headquarters.

The Council House in Corporation Street closed in December ahead of the £34m redevelopment.

Survey works, including identifying asbestos, have been going on since. The project will create an open plan interior and new council chamber.

Contractors said the clearance would take until July, with the full refit expected to be completed by late 2012.

Up to 20 non-specialist jobs would be created by the work, officials said.

The Conservative-led council has previously defended the £2.25m annual cost of loans to pay for the work, saying operational savings would offset much of this.