Significant progress has been made by DSM Contractors, who have spent the last six months knocking down Anglia Square.

A huge empty space remains (Image: Wayne Stuart)

(function (d, s, n) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js = d.createElement(s); js.className = n; js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/9eb68dce-e5e3-40c3-a31b-12479fdb5350"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); js.setAttribute('programmatic', 'true'); js.onload = function () { const playerApi257070 = ExCoPlayer.connect('9eb68dce-e5e3-40c3-a31b-12479fdb5350'); playerApi257070.init({ "autoPlay": false, "mute": true, "showAds": true, "playbackMode": "play-in-view", "content": { "playFirst": [ { "title": "Progress of Anglia Square demolition captured in new footage", "src": "https://large-cdn.ex.co/transformations-account/production/4a3bc053-9182-43c6-a264-62b0fb218ea8/60fb1eab-d69c-4c57-92f2-3eb6220598aa/270p.mp4" } ], "playlistId": "649d6b165f10d8001259835d" }, "sticky": { "mode": "persistent", "closeButton": true, "pauseOnClose": true, "desktop": { "enabled": false, "position": "bottom-right" }, "mobile": { "enabled": false, "position": "upper-small" } } }); }; }(document, 'script', 'exco-player'));

The builders have raised the former Hollywood Cinema to the ground and are now preparing to demolish Gildengate House and Sovereign House.

Wayne Stuart, a videographer who has been following the project closely, said: "Over the last few weeks, Anglia Square has changed dramatically.

"It's coming down piece by piece.

"The area looks much larger than I thought.

"It's a bit surreal to see it fade away as it holds memories for so many people.

Wayne Stuart has been videoing the demolition (Image: Wayne Stuart)

The demolition is due to take six months (Image: Wayne Stuart)

"The area looks extremely strange.

"The car park went first and now the Hollywood cinemas is fully demolished."

Sovereign House was built for Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the late 1960s.

Gildengate House, formerly an office block, housed OUTPOST Studios, an artist-run studio complex from around 2010 until its closure in 2025.

Anglia Square in 1989 (Image: Newsquest)

Gildengate House at Anglia Square (Image: Denise Bradley)

Sovereign House (Image: Adrian Judd)

The shopping centre is being bulldozed to make way for 1,100 homes as part of a £350m scheme which aims to regenerate the area and provide hundreds of affordable homes.

Norwich City Council bought the site in December 2024 through a £34m grant from Homes England.

Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, previously said: "It’s great to see hard demo work get under way.

"It hammers home the message that we’re moving fast to build a better Anglia Square for all.”

Plans to regenerate the site first emerged in 2006 but progress was stopped due to the recession and banking crisis.

© Eastern Daily Press