DEMOLITION work is moving forward at a pace to make way for the £85 million extension to the Eastbourne Arndale Centre.

Wrecking balls are a thing of the past.

Instead long-reach machines are dismantling the buildings piece by piece.

More than 90 per cent of materials will be recycled with tonnes of rubble being used to fill disused cellars and underground storage areas.

The 170,000sqft extension is being funded by Arndale Centre owners Legal and General and will bring an extra 22 new shops, about 300 extra car parking spaces, seven restaurants and a nine-screen cinema.

The work is being carried out by construction group Kier, which began work on site in January.

Neil Crawford, head of retail and leisure development for Legal and General Property, said: “It is exciting to see demolition begin as local people will really start to see huge changes to the town centre now.”

Cameras installed on the Arndale Centre car park and Eastbourne Railway Station will capture every moment of the scheme that will transform the town centre for ever.

The time-lapse cameras have been installed by Regenology, which has filmed many significant projects throughout the UK including The London 2012 Olympics, the construction of the Met Office Supercomputer, The Open Golf Championship and Sky F1.

Live footage from the cameras can be seen on the Arndale Centre website www.eastbournearndaleshopping.co.uk/.

Mr Crawford said: “For a project of this scale, that will really change the centre of Eastbourne, the cameras will provide an invaluable recording of the transformation for generations to come.”

Sitting at the controls of a long-reach demolition machine was a definite first for Arndale manager Bill Plumridge when he went to see the progress being made.

Mr Plumridge, who began as manager in May 1990, is now enjoying seeingthe biggest changes to the centre since it was built in 1980.

The first building to disappear was the Gildredge pub, on the corner of Terminus and Ashford Roads, with demolition now continuing towards along Terminus Road.

He said: “It is fantastic to see demolition work progressing and to be part of the exciting process that will bring about lasting changes to Eastbourne town centre, including a much-needed revitalisation of the night-time economy.”

The centre was also one of 130 sites that opened its doors to the public for a unique chance to see behind the scenes of live construction.