Stoke store to be demolished as Etruscan Square moves forward
A former frozen food supermarket will be pulled down to make way for a £20m regeneration scheme at Hanley’s former bus station on Charles Street.
The demolition of the vacant Iceland store, which closed its doors in April, will begin next week – and will pave the wave for the first phase of the long-awaited Etruscan Square project, which will see 139 apartments built at the site.
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Stoke-on-Trent City Council says work on the first phase is now due to begin in 2027.
“The start of demolition work at the former Iceland store marks another important milestone in bringing the long-awaited Etruscan Square brownfield regeneration project forward,” said Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for growth, regeneration and transport.
“These works will not only ensure we have no potential issues associated with an empty building but also prepare the ground for the first phase of development.”
Detailed planning permission for phase one of Etruscan Square was granted in 2023, around ten years after the bus station was closed and subsequently demolished in favour of a purpose-built plot near John Street.
Services were relocated in 2013 and the site has stood vacant since.
Later phases of the scheme, being led by Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, include a hotel and a potential 3,600-seat arena venue.
“Etruscan Square is one of the most significant regeneration opportunities in Stoke-on-Trent, and it will help transform Hanley by delivering much-needed new homes, including affordable housing, while helping create a more attractive and vibrant city centre,” added Cllr Gordon-McCusker.
Work to demolish the supermarket will begin on Monday, and is expected to take around six weeks.
