A MAJOR plan to demolish the 'eyesore' former H&L site in Limborough Road and replace it with a new block of flats, shops and offices has been rebooted after being put on hold because of Brexit, the Herald can reveal.

Wantage Investments, which owns most of the Kings Park retail estate, now plans to bulldoze the brick block where its agents Bushbuy currently have offices before the summer and hope to start re-building before the end of the year.

Staff at Bushbuy said that Wantage Investments owner, the Arab Sheikh and international investor Talal Zahid, had put the project on hold after last year's EU referendum result to see what the economic effect would be.

But now Bushbuy managers said they have been told to put the contract for the construction job out to tender.

The company said the old H&L block would definitely be demolished this year either way and probably in May.

It is thought the cost of carrying out construction job will come in at £3.5m, but the firm stressed the right deal would have to be struck before the work went ahead.

County councillor Wantage Jenny Hannaby said it was 'marvellous news'.

She went on: "I'm delighted that the scheme is back on the cards and I really look forward to that area being redeveloped because it is an eyesore.

"Wantage Investments are real investors in the town and it's good that we have his support.

"I really look forward to the start of the development because it will finish the tidy-up of that bit of Limborough Road."

After the H&L building is demolished, Bushbuy plans to move into the former Crystalox building next door.

Acting on behalf of Wantage Investments, Bushbuy was originally given planning permission in 2012 for a £5m, 46-bedroom hotel with two restaurants on the site but could not find a hotel firm interested.

In 2015, Bushbuy announced a new plan to build a block with 14 flats, office space and one shop, probably a clothes shop, which is now back on track.

Bushbuy has also this month submitted a planning application to revamp another of Wantage Investments' properties – 20 Mill Street, formerly the home of the private members' establishment the Spotted Dog Club, but now largely empty apart from housing Soros pizza shop.

The company has applied to convert the first floor, currently classed as offices, into flats.