ONE of Bristol city centre's biggest eyesore buildings is expected to be knocked down in the next few months.

The former magistrates' court complex in Nelson Street is set to be demolished and replaced with a hotel and student accommodation.

The ugly 1960s concrete building will be razed to the ground and redeveloped as part of a wider plan to regenerate the neglected thoroughfare between Broadmead and the Harbourside.

The eight-storey court complex, pictured, closed four years ago and a new £25-million court was built to replace it in Marlborough Street.

English Heritage described the old court building as "brutalist", with "little intrinsic value or significance, and which relates poorly both to the surrounding historic buildings and the townscape generally".

Clifton-based developer Deeley Freed won planning permission to build the 161-bed Travelodge hotel and 132 student flats in September.

As well as a nine-storey hotel, the development will include a restaurant, cafe or bar and car parking.

The main entrance to the hotel will be on the corner of Rupert Street and Christmas Street.

Before a planning application was submitted in February last year, the developers were in talks with planning officials for more than a year.

They said the redevelopment could prove a catalyst for further development in the area, by attracting new shops, businesses and investment.

Nelson Street has been notorious for being filled with imposing concrete buildings despite being one of the most well-used access points to the Broadmead shopping area from the Harbourside.

In August, the See No Evil art project saw dozens of graffiti artists repaint a number of buildings there.

It proved popular with the public, with council officers recording a 40 per cent increase in footfall in the road.

The murals on the old magistrates' building are expected to be lost when the site is redeveloped.

Sections of Nelson Street, Quay Street and Christmas Street will be closed to traffic while the demolition work takes place.

One way systems in sections of Nelson Street, Quay Street, Corn Street and Small Street will also be temporarily suspended.

The demolition is expected to be carried out over three weekends after February 6.