1st July 2012
As construction work has calmed down around the town for now, I have taken a break from the project until September/October 2012. In the meantime, I will be over in London documenting events and atmosphere at the Olympics and Paralympics with photos I have taken from the build up and at the games themselves at http://alexmoorehead.wordpress.com
Once all of that has come to an end, hopefully there will be more photo related work that I can do around Seaton.
Side By Side Comparisons
I'm now at the stage where I can look through the photos I have taken of the site over the last few years and produce side by side comparison images showing the change that has been made. In this post over the next few weeks, I will be uploading some of them as they are put together.
The image above is two photos taken from the same spot. The top photo was taken October 2010 and the bottom photo was taken November 2011. The changes here are clear to see with the whole area looking a lot cleaner and more open.
December 2011
For the first half of this month, due to work and generally not wanting to take many photos of the site, I have taken a short break from updating the blog. Over the next few weeks, I will be creating some big 2-3 photo comparison photos taken at different stages of the work on site, before uploading some of them here.
Looking north across the public space, which looks fresh and clean even with a slightly lop-sided christmas tree! The toilet block looks fresh as well with new tiles on the roof and a fresh lick of paint on the exterior.
Here is the pedestrian entrance to the store from harbour road. Before the site was transformed, this was one of the access roads that went through the site. (Nursery entrance too)
Above is a shot of one of the regular views I have shot from since before work on the site started. Now looking at the south side of the store.
The photo above was taken looking from Harbour road looking towards the store. On the right, is the area where the site compound used to be, which has now been leveled out with infill material to match the height across the site.
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Above is a photo I took of the site exactly a year ago on the 9th of December 2010. Workmen were just surveying the site and starting to prepare it for the year ahead. Today, you would be looking at the south side of the store.
A quick photo that I took while walking home from work, as dumper trucks were transporting sand to the south side of the site, where the site offices were, so that it is all at a level height.
Photos Taken November 2011
With the opening of the store on the 21st of this month, there are a lot of finishing touches being made to the site. I will continue to document this in my photographs. There will still be a lot of visible changes around the outside of the site before the site team hand over the keys to Tesco on the 13th November.
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Day before store opening
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Day before store opening
This tone mapped photo was taken with the grassed over area (formerly youth centre) in the foreground and the store in the background ready for the grand opening in less than 24 hours time.
Above is another tone mapped photo looking towards the tramway, surrounded by the newly paved area, and green grass in the footprint of the old youth centre building. Christmas decorations have also been installed on the posts around the tramway.
A christmas tree has been placed in the public space, ready to be decorated.
Above is a tone mapped photo, looking towards the store, with some of the street furniture in the foreground. A couple of months ago, this is where the youth centre building stood.
A view looking west across the site, to the complete petrol station.
Here is a view of the south side of the store, before it opens tomorrow. Trolleys are sitting in a designated bay ready to be used, whilst inside, the fresh fruit and veg and dairy products are put into place.
Another one of the regular spot photos of the entrance area to the store. All finished with guys going around with pressure washers, cleaning off the paving.
Another photo from the Harbour road junction, looking past the roadside sign towards the store itself.
Another photo taken looking at the access road junction with Harbour road. Everything has been resurfaced and line painting is well underway. You will also notice that the main store sign has gone up on the left hand side of the photo.
Here is one of the spots that I have photographed since '08. This is the pedestrian entrance to the store from Harbour road. It used to be the access road to the nursery heading straight on amongst the weeds and sorry looking trees.
Another view looking from the 'realm' area towards the main entrance on the southern side of the store. Landscaping and paving is complete and the lights have all been fitted.
Another regular of the southern facing side of the store. All finished here with less than a day to go before builders hand over. Opening times have been stuck onto the window off to the left of the photo, with cycle parking between that and the main entrance.
Above is a view looking into the area at the back of the site, where the petrol station is. The access road to the store goes around the perimeter of the station, hence the 'hello' sign on the left hand side.
The paving area outside the tramway station has been finished and opened up to allow people to walk through from the car park to the new public area.
As the banner in the photo indicates, it is not long now until the store opens to the public, just over a week.
Looking at the south west corner of the store from a different angle here. This part of the store is basically where the costa coffee outlet is (indicated by the signage) with the retail area and checkouts off to the right of the frame.
Here is one of the regular shots of the southern side of the store, where the public area has been fitted out with several different items of furniture including seats, bike racks and kids small rides by the store windows.
Another of my regular spots, where I have seen the biggest changes over the last few years. The main change from my last photograph from here is the sign and the removal of all of the safety scaffolding on the roof.
Above is a view of the west side of the store alongside the tramway, with a new store sign now visible on this side.
With just over a week until the store opens, the protective material covering the main store sign was being stripped off.
The photo above is from one of my regular viewing spots looking north across the car park area. All of the trolley bays are in place as well as car park signage, with the petrol filling station in the background.
Above is a sneaky peek inside the store from the south using a zoom lens. You can see some of what the non food aisles will contain, including microwaves, kettles and toys.
Here is a view looking along the new access road to the store, with the car park off to the left of the photo and the petrol station in the background.
Above is a view of the petrol station looking in a westerly direction from the riverside workshops. The canopy section is progressing well and should be finished in the next few days.
Some parts of Harbour road have been re laid and resurfaced, and pedestrian links have been improved with the additions of the crossings at either end. New street lighting has also been installed along this road.
The photo above is of the south west corner of the store facing the tramway station. One of the Costa coffee signs has appeared on the exterior, next to where the outlet is located within the building.
In this section of paving between the car park and the new public space, Pointing between the slabs has been completed, so the fences around this area should come down within the next few days.
The grass in the footprint of the former youth centre building is growing quickly making this area of the site look a bit more attractive to passers by than it used to.
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Looking north east across the new public space towards the store, with the main entrance on the far right of the photo.
Another of the regular views, this time of the south of the store as the daylight was beginning to fade.
Here is one of the two new pedestrian crossings that have been built across Harbour road. The other is opposite Bradfords at the eastern end of the road.
One of the regular views again, with the store nearly complete, the lights on as finishing touches are added before stocking up the store begins on Monday next week.
The photo above was taken while walking past the store with my compact camera at hand. Work was progressing inside fitting the Costa Coffee outlet and a new Tesco sign has appeared on this side of the store.
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Another panorama above taken in the new public space adjacent to the Underfleet, with just a wire fence separating this area and the store.
Above is a panorama taken from Harbour road opposite the new road junction to the store.
The photo above was taken looking towards the pedestrian entrance from Harbour road to the store. This time next week, this along with all other external work around the site will be finished, ready for final handover of the site.
----------------------------------------This comparison has the same 1 year difference, with the undeveloped area in the top image and the almost complete area in the bottom. The main differences obviously being the store and the removal of the blue and white youth centre building.
The comparison above is again taken exactly a year apart looking across the road from the coach park looking at where the public space area is now. Where once everything was screened off by trees and a hedge, the area looks a lot bigger, especially with the youth centre building not being there.
The comparison photo was taken from the same spot, the top being taken 2nd November 2010 and the bottom a year later, where the landscape has changed substantially.
Here is a view towards the area where the youth centre once stood. A warning sign warning people to keep off of the new grass will probably remain for the time being as new fences are built around the perimeter. Now all of the blue fences have been taken down, you can see much more of the site.
Above is a wide angle view of the realm area, with the Underfleet off to the left, there is still work in this area in spots just to finish it all off.
This photo is an abstract photo lining up the new streetlights in a row.
Some of the paving slabs are sitting waiting to be laid and pointed in the area between the tramway station and the new public space area.
This photo was taken as work progresses on repaving this area through to the 'realm' area. A big puddle has formed after a lot of rain over the last few days.
Another of the regular views of the south east corner of the store. On the right hand side, the ATM unit has been given the same cladding as the exterior of the store.
One of my regular views, this is looking at the area where the youth centre once stood. The footprint has been planted with grass seeds which seem to be growing fairly quickly.
This was a view through a fence looking towards the south side of the store. Now that the blue fence has been removed, a lot more of the site has become visible. In the foreground, work is progressing on paving the section in between the tramway car park and the public space.
Here is a photo of the south side of the store, where some seating has been delivered. They are certainly an interesting shape for seats and look as though they are made from concrete.
Here is a view of the new road junction. The surface of the road is finished, with resurfacing on Harbour road well underway. The car park on the left side of the road is also being cleared of building equipment now.
Above is another view of the west side of the store with the road cleaner waiting on standby in the car park adjacent to the store.
This photo was taken inside the new public 'realm' area looking south towards the Harbour road mini roundabout. Still a bit of work in this area remains, but it is now more or less complete.
The view above was shot handheld looking at the south facing side of the store which was lit up.
The photo above was taken from the coach park opposite the new public area. Only one set of the new streetlights were working and work was continuing inside the store in the background.
The photo above was taken next to the tramway station looking at the west side of the store, which was lit up internally. A street cleaner truck was waiting to be used, so was sitting in the car park.
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