It must have cost an obscene amount to acquire all of that land. The already rather large St David's arcade (shopping centre) is going to be expanded into a Really Huge and Super shopping centre that no locals can afford to shop at. It's imaginatively named St David's 2. Wow. Ad astra per aspera
Here is the hole in the city centre. The above demolition photo was taken from the left of the first photo below;
I must go back and take photos that actually line up properly, but I get weird looks from the staff in there... A new Borders book shop is opening next door which is a floor higher so I'll try there next time. Ad astra per aspera