THE demolition of a former town centre car dealership is set to cause intermittent traffic disruption for months.

Workers started to knock down the Williams BMW building in Bradshawgate last week.

A lane closure is due to come into effect at the Shiffnall Street junction before rush hour on some mornings.

There is currently an expected finish date of Friday May 31, although this could change.

There are currently no detailed plans for what will replace the two Williams buildings, although The Bolton News understand that it will form part of the £1bn town centre masterplan.

The private sector investor working on the project, Empire Property Concepts, is the same company behind building 150 apartments at the Globe Works mill.

It was recently given permission to create an extra 26 flats as part of the derelict mills' transformation into Manhattan loft-style apartments.

The Yorkshire-based company owns the southern building but only has a leasehold for the northern building which is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

For this reason, only one building will be demolished while the property consultant reaches an agreement with TfGM.

Charlie Overend, a consultant at Empire Property Concepts, said that the company has been talking to the council about the future of the site.

He said: "We're talking to the planners at Bolton Council with respect to a mix of residential and commercial space.

"We've been talking with the them for a little while. We just need to make sure that the site's safe and clear."

Forshaw Demolition started working on the site last week and the first stage of demolition will take seven weeks to complete.

The demolition company said it submitted a Section 80 notice and received a Section 81 from the council to confirm that the work could begin.

The building has been empty for around 10 years after its original owners, Williams of Bolton, who sold BMWs and Minis; relocated to a multi-million pound site at the home of Bolton’s former greyhound track in Raikes Lane.

Since that date the site has fallen into a derelict and dilapidated state and in September last year a huge fire engulfed the building.

Flames tore through offices on the second floor of the building, spreading up a lift shaft and into the motor room on the roof of the former garage – smoke-logging the building.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the garage and there were reports of a smell, similar to burning rubber, in the air.

The building was thought to be used by rough sleepers as a place of shelter, however, it is understood that no one was injured in the blaze.