Connell Brothers Ltd will be bringing down the city-centre buildings under a contract which will last around nine months.

A planning application for the new scheme will be submitted later this year by developer Genr8 with a main contractor for the build appointed in 2015.

The demolition will be a delicate task for Connell’s who will have to first internally strip out the building before covering it with scaffolding and dismantling it from the top down because of its proximity to Metrolink and other buildings in the town centre.

Steve Balyski, Operations manager of Connell Brothers Ltd, said: “We have a wealth of experience working in restrictive city centre environments throughout the UK.

“The team who will be working on the Rochdale project has been responsible for the virtual re-modelling of large parts of the city centre of Manchester including Mosley Street where we successfully demolished Elisabeth House, the former Royal Bank of Scotland and Eagle Star House.

“This experience means we’re in a really good position to make the huge changes required in Rochdale while minimising disruption for the public and keeping them safe.”