The regeneration of Gloucester is gathering pace with work starting on improving the public area north of Victoria Basin at Gloucester Docks.

The city council says the facelift will transform the public realm area outside the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum.

The work will include turning the steps from Commercial Road into a new "grand staircase", as well as new paving, lighting and street furniture. There will also be an enhanced event arena in Back Badge Square which already hosts parades and seasonal events and will now have better viewing and seating areas.

The extensive works will be managed by the L&R Group, owners of the adjacent Ladybellegate Quay development and are due to be completed in October 2017. The project is designed to improve the links between the Docks, Gloucester Quays and the city centre.

Funding for the project was generated by the council selling buildings it owned in the area which it had acquired from the now defunct Regional Development Agency. The funding from the sale of these properties is ring-fenced for regeneration projects.

Cllr Paul James leader of Gloucester City Council said: "This is a really important project, which is designed to draw people to the north end of the Docks and to help the proposed Ladybellegate Quay restaurant development go ahead.

"It will help create a better link between the Docks and the city centre and will add to the huge amount of work that is on site in the city at the moment, including the student accommodation at the Barbican site."

Pictured from top: Area in front of Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum; illustration of planned public realm work and Commercial Road buildings set to be redeveloped as restaurants