Gloucester's famous Sainsbury store, which opened for business in 1970 and became a pivotal address in the city's retail offer, could soon be erased from Gloucester's cityscape and replaced by 55 flats in a project tipped to total £6m.

London-based Clarehouse Developments are proposing to clear 63-69 Northgate Street, which was opened as a Sainsbury's in a celebratory event on December 8, 1970, attended by Sir John Sainsbury.

As part of a plan to shut 15 stores announced in 2020, Sainsbury's put Gloucester on the closure list.  Sadly, despite a heavily supported public petition to retain the store as a major supermarket option within the city centre, the closure went ahead in the following January.

A Design and Access statement now before city planners from Surrey-based Factor 9 Design (F9D) describes the area as having "an extensive, eclectic mix of styles and materials within close proximity of the site".

It adds: "The scheme is a significant development opportunity within the heart of Gloucester and has a significant planning history, lying as it does, relatively close to the Cathedral. The scheme represents an opportunity to enhance the built environment of the area whilst aiding continual growth, in line with the aspirations of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)."

Clarehouse states that the project, with frontages on both Northgate Street and extending back to Hare Lane, will be part of an "incredible" regeneration which in 2021 was revealed to cost up to £6m.

The flats proposed will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroomed units within three buildings, the affordable element totalling 11, while employment generated from the scheme is set at 60 jobs.

F9D said: "Our proposals set out to produce contemporarily designed buildings, using robust brickwork detailing, which creates elevations with depth and interest, whilst reacting sensitively to the design cues of the local environment.

"The scheme is split into a family of three buildings, forming a soft, green courtyard at its centre. The buildings have three distinct elements: the elevation to Northgate Street, the elevation to Hare Lane and the courtyard elevations. Each building responds to its immediate context."

Some degree of uncertainty hangs over supermarket's famous mural, on Hare Lane, with an indication from F9D that it could see re-use: "The mural has been identified as a potential non-designated heritage asset by the council, and is on its draft local list. Retention on site therefore maybe [sic] desirable."

The mural was commissioned by famous concrete mural artists Henry and Joyce Collins, who also did special commissions for BHS as well as many UK Sainsbury's stores, having been first commissioned to create a piece by Sir John Sainsbury at the artists' native Colchester.

News of the flat bid comes in the wake of civic chiefs recently stating that a new city-centre supermarket in the same location could be "challenging" and that a residential scheme with some commercial use was "acceptable".

No objections have been lodged against the proposal as yet, although Gloucester MP Richard Graham said he was "saddened" at the store's original closure announcement.

Mr Graham said: "I shop there regularly as it is near my office and I hope another quality supermarket will take the space very soon."