Goodbye Bretonside Bus Station...

...Hello Drake Circus Leisure...

Plymouth's vision to create a welcoming entrance to Britain's Ocean City is taking a significant step forward with plans for a new coach hub and a new leisure development in the city centre.

Millions of pounds could be pumped into both the West End and the eastern part of the city centre, as part of a major investment package proposed by British Land, the owner of Drake Circus and the UK's largest listed retail landlord.

British land have put forward proposals to transform the tired site at Bretonside bus station with 'Drake Circus Leisure' which includes a 12-screen cinema complex, 13 restaurants as well as parking for over 400 cars.

The development will see extensive improvements to public areas with features, installations seating and it would transform the link from the city centre to the Barbican and the Waterfront, making it far more attractive and easier for visitors and shoppers to move from one to the other.

As part of the proposals, a new multi-million pound coach hub is envisaged on the site of the soon-to-be-demolished Mayflower West car park, in the city's West End. There will also be public parking for cars.

View a video fly-through of the plans for the coach station. Click Here for Video

The new-look coach hub would have long-distance coach service bays, waiting room, booking office, toilets and significant improvements to the look and feel of the streets around the site as well as more parking. Locating the bus hub in the West End could lead to an extra 200,000 people visiting this part of the city centre.

The proposal also includes an 'innovation centre' in a building overlooking the site which could get a new lease of life as a centre for start-ups firms run by graduates. It is a joint venture between the Council and Plymouth University to transform Taylor Maxwell House with facilities for fledgling businesses in a central location.

Both Bretonside and the West End of Plymouth will see investment worth millions of pounds, which in turn will generate a new level of interest in both areas. It will also create around 600 jobs.

The three projects are part of a new plan for the city centre which details initiatives and actions already underway that are designed to keep variety, interest and people coming into the city centre.

Plymouth's historic past and rich cultural offer is enjoying a £73 million investment from city partners including the Council, Plymouth University and Plymouth College of Art and Design. It includes the £24 million History Centre project to transform the existing museum into a cutting-edge interactive visitor attraction.