Kent based Lee’s machines started work today on a £2m contract to clear the Goodman’s Field site in Aldgate to make way for a £1bn residential, commercial and leisure scheme for the Berkeley Group.

John F Hunt was originally appointed to carry-out soft stripping of the massive brick structure but work was suspended at that stage back in 2005 when development was first mooted.

The RBS building has stood derelict ever since and Berkeley bought the seven acre site from receivers last year after original developer Omega Land ran out of funds.

Berkeley has planning consent for 754 homes, 601 student beds, a 337-bedroom hotel and 107,640 sq ft of office and retail space.

The developer re-tendered the demolition contract and Lee machines have been arriving on site during the last week ready to start on the massive clearance job which will last six months.

Lee director Steve Kennedy told the Enquirer: “It’s one of the biggest demolition jobs in London along with out other contract at the Kidbrooke Estate to bring down the towers there.

“We’ll have about eight machines on the RBS site and will be recycling about 90% of the materials.”