AFTER years of waiting the demolition of two derelict tower blocks is finally underway.

The 15-storey Alkham Tower in St Mary Cray is gradually being reduced to rubble as it gets picked apart floor by floor.

And at noon on Thursday (July 19) residents are invited to Bapchild Place, off Okemore Gardens, to watch as Horton Tower is destroyed.

Both towers had been empty since 2007 when the last tenants were moved out because the buildings were deemed to be structurally unsafe.

The future of the tower blocks had been uncertain since then and at one point there was talk of site owner Affinity Sutton repairing the buildings.

But the housing association is knocking them down after getting planning permission to develop the site.

In place of the towers there will be three apartment blocks which are three and four storeys in height, and two blocks which will be six and seven storeys in height.

The development will comprise of 19 one bedroom, 57 two bedroom and 14 three bedroom dwellings with 94 car parking spaces, bicycle parking, a children’s play area and bin and recycling storage.

Building is expected to start by the end of the year.

Constituency MP Jo Johnson will be at the demolition event and said: “It’s fantastic and I cannot wait.

“It is going to be a massive psychological boost for St Mary Cray and building the new homes will enhance the local environment for the whole community.

“It is a really important turning point and a catalyst for the regeneration of St Mary Cray which has been something Bromley Council has been pushing for ages and I support 100 per cent.”