There is strong demand for new apartments in the former Post Office site in Bury St Edmunds town centre, a council has said.

The redevelopment of apartments at 17-18 Cornhill has already seen keen interest, with half the apartments already under offer.

East Anglian Daily Times: The redevelopment of apartments at 17-18 Cornhill, Bury St Edmunds has already seen keen interest from buyers.The redevelopment of apartments at 17-18 Cornhill, Bury St Edmunds has already seen keen interest from buyers. (Image: West Suffolk Council)

The project involves bringing the Victorian Cornhill front back into use, widening the market thoroughfare at ground floor level and creating a new commercial frontage onto St Andrews Street South.

It also includes two ground floor commercial units with 12 apartments above - six of which have already had offers accepted through Bedfords Estate Agents.

East Anglian Daily Times: Six of the apartments have already had offers accepted through Bedfords Estate Agents.Six of the apartments have already had offers accepted through Bedfords Estate Agents. (Image: Bedfords Estate Agents)

Councillor Sarah Broughton, cabinet member for resources and property at West Suffolk Council, said: "We are delighted with the interest so far in these apartments which is in line with our own and the market's expectations and enables us to deliver the wider benefits to the town centre.

"The interest in these apartments reinforces our belief that Bury St Edmunds town centre continues to be a place that people want to come to, whether that is as a place to live, to work, or a place to visit for the fantastic array of leisure, culture, heritage, restaurants, cafes and shops."

Due for completion later this year, the Cornhill redevelopment has been shaped as part of the 2017 town centre masterplan which received 8,000 public comments.

West Suffolk Council held a public exhibition of concept designs in 2018, which showed how they were responding to public wishes to ensure maximum footfall between the arc, the Cornhill and Buttermarket parts of Bury St Edmunds' town centre.

East Anglian Daily Times: The project involves bringing the Victorian Cornhill front back into use, widening the market thoroughfare at ground floor level and creating a new commercial frontage onto St Andrews Street South.The project involves bringing the Victorian Cornhill front back into use, widening the market thoroughfare at ground floor level and creating a new commercial frontage onto St Andrews Street South. (Image: West Suffolk Council)

This £2.75 million project was funded as part of the £32.1 million Government's Getting Building Fund awarded to New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

C-J Green, chair of New Anglia LEP, said: "Revitalising our city and town centres and making them attractive places to live, work and visit is going to play a key role in making them more resilient in the future and it is great to hear about the strong early demand for these properties at the former post office site."