POTENTIAL risks to one of Exeter's top tourist attractions as a result of redevelopment of the old Debenhams building were highlighted to council bosses, the Echo can reveal.

Concerns over the impact of building work on the premises to the city's popular Underground Passages were raised in a series of emails, obtained by the Echo.

The memos, which were sent earlier this summer, reveal fears that the close proximity of the passages to the tower could pose problems and "disrupt" the attraction on health and safety grounds.

As previously reported in the Echo, planning permission for the refurbishment of the multi-storey building was granted last month.

It has stood empty since September 2007 when Debenhams moved into its new premises in Princesshay.

Permission for the redevelopment was granted under planning officers' delegated powers, and work to transform the lower sections of the 1960s tower must be done in conjunction with improvements to the King William Street car park. However, Land Securities, which owns the premises, has refused to say who will be moving in.

Concerns about the effect of building work on the Underground Passages centred around the Exeter Cathedral passage, which runs to the rear of the former Debenhams building at the top of Longbrook Street.

Tourism officers at the city council highlighted the fact that the passages were within just five metres of the building.

In one email sent in July, a tourism officer said: "At the moment, I could not guarantee that the Underground Passages are not disrupted on H&S grounds."

A later email suggests that following discussions with planning officers, the only issue is likely to be "noise and dust" that would "probably need to be controlled".

Richard Short, head of planning at Exeter City Council, said any earlier concerns had now been investigated and remedied.

He said: "To be safe, a planning condition was imposed requiring agreement of a construction environment management plan prior to commencement that gives special regard to the presence of the Underground Passages.

"This would pick up any potential archaeological or operational impact upon the passages."

The former Debenhams building will be transformed by a new two-storey glazed facade facing the corner of High Street and Sidwell Street.

Five floors — basement, lower ground, ground, first and second — will be given over to retail use and there will be a new podium extension at the first-floor level.

Floors three to seven will be the subject of a later planning application, but the retail space created will be the same as it was when Debenhams occupied the building.

The plans include a cafe on the first floor, and new escalator access will open up views into the basement retail level.

Alterations at the rear of the building include revamping the goods access and customer collection arrangements.

The works are expected to start next year, following consultation.