More details have been announced about exciting plans for the former BHS store and the regeneration of the King's Walk shopping centre in Gloucester.

Urban regeneration specialists Reef Estates have formed a strategic partnership with the city council and the latest proposals show a major makeover of the BHS building frontage in Eastgate Street with three new retail units including a café.

In a design and access statement Reef Estates says reconfiguration and repositioning of the retail space will attract operators and investment into the city centre.

The report to city council planners says: "The existing shop front is set back under the upper floor accommodation and heavy stone facades suppresses the active retail use frontage.

"This configuration does not appeal to prospective retail tenants following extensive consultation and marketing.

"Our design brief is to extend the ground floor shop front out to the line of the existing building, extensively refurbish and clean the upper level façade including replacement of window fenestrations."(artist's impression above)

It has been agreed with the city council to clean and furbish the existing stone and slate façade materials which will be more in keeping with the character of the city conservation area.

The report adds: "The main aim is to regenerate the Gloucester King's Walk shopping Centre economically and socially to restore the district centre to its role at the heart of the community while also targeting a higher profile to reach the population beyond the immediate vicinity of the site.

"Proposals include subdivision of existing, former BHS retail unit into three new retail units, one unit to be fronting King's Walk only with A1 use, one unit to be change of use to A1-A3 for café fronting Eastgate Street and the remaining large A1 retail unit over both ground and first floors."

City council Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Jeremy Hilton called for the art panels on the front of the former BHS store to be saved.

He said: "I believe the Gloucester panels are the work of Joyce Pallot (1912-2004) and Henry Collins (1910-1994) - two artist/designers, who along with John Nash, established the Colchester Art Society, during the 1930s.

"They never worked on the site itself, but used a regular contractor Hutton's Builders Ltd of Colchester, who cast the panels. Their work must be preserved."

Gloucester City Council leader Cllr Paul James said: ""It is necessary for the panels to be relocated in order to make the retail street frontage of the old BHS more attractive and secure a new tenant.

"The panels do have some heritage and we have worked with Reef Estates to find a suitably-prominent location for them and we have consulted the Civic Trust. The Clarence Street side of Primark seems a good choice and makes it a win-win situation."