A CAR park in Rhyl will temporarily close next week.

The Queen Street car park will shut from January 25 for the duration of the Queens Market demolition and asbestos removal works which is expected to take place until summer 2021.

Denbighshire County Council said there will be free parking from 8am until 10.30am in the Town Hall Car Park, Wellington Road, during this time. This car park is accessed off Water Street.

Rhyl Journal: At the centrepiece of the development, the Queen’s Market will be reinvented for the 21st century with a food and markethall. Picture: Queen’s market design and access statementAt the centrepiece of the development, the Queen’s Market will be reinvented for the 21st century with a food and markethall. Picture: Queen’s market design and access statement

The local authority has appointed Wye Valley Demolition to demolish unsafe areas of the Queen’s Buildings and remove any remaining asbestos.

The Queen’s Chamber will remain within the buildings and will be refurbished.

Cllr Hugh Evans, leader of the council and Lead Member for the Economy said: “The start of demolition work will mark another major step in the regeneration of the site.

“The council wanted to retain as much of the buildings as possible, especially the walls of the Queen’s Market and the ornate ceiling, but as we have been working on the buildings since taking ownership, it has become clear they are beyond repair.”

The local authority is working with private sector development partners, including Ion Development, to transform Rhyl's Queen’s Market into a mix of retail, food and beverage, contemporary market, office and residential space.

Accessibility from the waterfront and promenade into the town centre will also be improved.

Cllr Evans added: “The regeneration of Rhyl is a long-term project which will help benefit the economy throughout Denbighshire and the Queen’s Buildings form a vital part of that plan.”

The site contains multiple large buildings within a populated area, so during the demolition period to ensure the safety of the public, the council will be closing footpaths along West Parade and Queen Street from the end of January.