Plans for the multi-million pound refurbishment of Stoke-on-Trent city centre in Staffordshire have been given the green light by the local authority. Stoke-on-Trent City Council's (STCC) development control committee backed the scheme, which includes a new multi-screen cinema complex, a hotel, and new cafés and restaurants. Retail units and a multi-storey car park also feature in plans submitted to the council by developer Realis in October 2008, as well as

Highland Council has announced that the redevelopment of Fort William's waterfront is set to move forward with the signing of legal documents, enabling the project's developer to continue with its planning application. Once missives are signed, Fort William Waterfront Ltd (FWWL) will be able to appoint consultants for the scheme, which will include a hotel and restaurants, as well as new residential and retail developments. FWWL's plans, which will also

Plans for the £750m transformation of the 468-acre (189.4-hectare) Longbridge site near Birmingham have been given the green light by the government. The Longbridge Area Action Plan (LAAP), which was submitted to the government last March, outlines a 15-year vision for a mixed-use redevelopment of the former MG Rover factory site. At the heart of the scheme is a new town centre incorporating public, leisure and retail facilities, as well

Property developer Montpellier Estates is to take legal action against Leeds City Council (LCC) after losing out in the race to build a new multi-million pound entertainment arena. In November, LCC's executive announced that the new 12,500-seat venue would be built by the council itself on a 5.1-acre (2.06-hectare) site at Claypit Lane, which is part-owned by Leeds Metropolitan University. Proposals for the new arena put forward by two developers,

A £150m mixed-use regeneration scheme for Lancaster's canal corridor, which was approved by the city council in October, has been called in by communities secretary, Hazel Blears. The Castle View project, which is being led by the London-based urban regeneration company, Centros, will now go to a public inquiry later this year, although no date has been set. Plans feature six public spaces, including a new park leading to the

A new £100m retail and leisure complex is set to be built at Ty Mawr on Anglesey, North Wales, after councillors gave the green light to plans submitted by developer Ynys Môn Estates. Plans for the 55-acre (22.3-hectare) development near Llanfairpwll, which include a Cineworld multiplex cinema and a ten-pin bowling alley, were originally rejected by Anglesey Council in December. However, because the council's decision went against the recommendations of

Telford and Wrekin Council (TWC) has launched a public consultation on plans to revamp three Shropshire town centres, including an £8m scheme to create a new civic quarter in Wellington. Local residents will be given the chance throughout February to have their say on proposals for Wellington, which will see improvements made to the town's existing leisure centre. A new library and registry office will also be created. Eric Carter,

A joint venture between British Land and Lend Lease has pulled out of the bidding process for the £1.2bn regeneration of Basildon town centre in Essex due to the economic downturn. Only one bidder – a Barratt Homes/Wilson Bowden consortium – now remains, and discussions will continue with Basildon Council and the Basildon Renaissance Partnership to ensure the project moves forward. Plans for the redevelopment of Basildon include 49,000sq m

The English Open golf championship, due to be staged at the St Mellion International Resort in Cornwall this summer, has been postponed for two years due to delays incurred by a third-party developer as a result of the credit crunch. Crown Golf, the resort's owner, and the European Tour confirmed that the event will now return in 2011 after it was revealed that a golf and holiday homes scheme led

A new multi-million pound sports centre could be built in Bexhill, East Sussex, after Rother District Council (RDC) agreed to appoint consultants to conduct a feasibility study into the plans. The new centre, which is to be situated on the town's Down site and could cost up to £18m, will form part of the council's scheme to consolidate the town's two existing leisure facilities into one single site by 2016.

Plans for the £750m regeneration of the 468-acre (189.4-hectare) Longbridge site are set to move forward after Birmingham City Council (BCC) and developer St Modwen reached agreement over the scheme's Area Action Plan (AAP). A Planning Inspectorate report into the project in south Birmingham is expected at the end of January following the conclusion of a public inquiry into the AAP last month, despite a disagreement over the funding of

The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is set to complete its revamp during the year and will reopen to the public on 14 February. The redevelopment work will be completed in stages and finished phases include the revamp of the Entrance Hall, with a more user friendly reception desk; a new glass corridor leading people to the upgraded Café Bowes; and the extension of the museum's retail facilities.

Kirklees Council has unveiled the initial designs for a proposed new leisure centre in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The £26m complex will be built on the Spring Grove car park in Springwood, and will form part of a wider regeneration project which includes the relocation of a Tesco supermarket to the site of the existing sports centre in Southgate. Proposals for the new centre, which is scheduled to open in Spring

Plans for a £12m hotel complex adjacent to Bilston Town Football Club have been submitted to Wolverhampton City Council. The club, which submitted the plans, hopes that the development will revitalise the 113-year-old site and give it a new lease of life following several vandalism attacks. The complex, to be called Stadium Hotel, will feature 60 bedrooms, a gym, a restaurant and a juice bar, as well as retail units.

A new vision for the 20-year regeneration of Gateshead town centre, Tyne and Wear, has been unveiled by the local authority. Gateshead Council has backed a report detailing a blueprint for the long-term redevelopment programme, which will see the town transformed by 2030. Proposals outlined in the Gateshead Centre Regeneration Delivery Strategy include a new creative quarter where specialist businesses will mix with artists in a conservation area, as well

Rochdale Borough Council (RBC) has restarted its selection process for a developer to take on the £250m regeneration of Rochdale town centre, near Manchester. Earlier this year, RBC had selected Wilson Bowden Developments to deliver the project, which includes a new central area, a new arts centre, cafes, restaurants and a new retail development. However, in light of a development project in Greece, the European Court of Justice ruled in

A planning application for a new £100m leisure-led mixed-use development, adjacent to the WestQuay retail park, has been submitted to Southampton City Council as part of the £1.7bn regeneration of the city. Submitted by developer Hammerson, which also created the WestQuay shopping precinct, the second phase of the scheme - called Watermark WestQuay - will offer a 3,500sq m park and public plazza next to the city's historic city wall.

Development of the new £65m stadium for Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club (BHAFC) has moved one step closer with the appointment of Buckingham Group Construction. The 22,500-seat stadium, which has been in planning for nearly a decade, will be built to the east of the city in Falmer and adjacent to the University of Brighton. Designed by London-based KSS architects on behalf of developers The Community Stadium, the scheme

The 20-year masterplan for the £700m leisure-led regeneration of Edinburgh's harbour front has been submitted to the city council by developer Forth Ports. The detailed framework for the 26-hectare site, designed by architect RTKL Associates, includes two urban villages at Leith Docks, two piers, a landmark cultural venue such as an international concert hall, up to five new hotels and new leisure, restaurant and retail space around Ocean Terminal. Plans

The €40m (£35.9, $53.4m) development of the Hermitage Amsterdam (HA) museum, located within the restored 17th century Amstelhof building, has entered the final phase of construction. Due to open in June 2009, the museum will become an exhibition venue for Russian art, displaying over 1,800 artifacts brought over from the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia. The 9.925sq m (107,000sq ft) Amstelhof, a former listed nursing home, is being

Health club operator The Club Company has completed a £2m redevelopment of the Tytherington Club in Macclesfield. The nine-month project has added a third dance studio to the site, which will host mind-body classes, such as yoga and pilates. The most significant aspect of the project is the introduction of a poolside spa facility for adults. The spa, designed by interior designers Douglas Wallace, incorporates four treatment rooms, a large

A £450m mixed-use redevelopment project in the centre of Birmingham has been granted outline planning permission by the city council. Proposals for the 13-acre (5.26-hectare) Eastside Locks scheme were put forward by the property group Goodman as part of a joint venture with Advantage West Midlands (AVM) and Birmingham City Council (BCC). A detailed planning application is expected to be submitted within the next six months for the first stage

Designs for the first mixed-use scheme in a new town south of the Korean capital, Seoul, have been revealed by Dutch architects MVRDV. The Gwanggyo Power Centre, one of two envisioned developments in the town led by developers Daewoo Consortium and the municipality of Gwanggyo, consists of hill-shaped buildings and will feature 200,000sq m of leisure space including a three-storey spa, a seven-storey multiplex and a building dedicated to entertainment

Plans for a new 116m tall mixed-use tower have been revealed for Copenhagen, Denmark. The 21,688sq m (233,447sq ft) Rødovre Skyscraper will include a 2,000sq m hotel, a public park and a plaza, restaurants, 970sq m of retail space, offices and apartments. A public park adjacent to the 'sky village' is part of the project and will be refurbished to feature public paths, a playground, a picnic area and exercise

Developer Minerva has been given the go-ahead to redevelop Young's Ram Brewery in South London. The 1.3 million sq ft (120,773sq m) Ram Brewery scheme will combine a 12,204sq m (131,36sq ft) dedicated area for bars, restaurants, retail units and commercial developments. There will also be 2,673sq m (28,771sq ft) for community and leisure uses as well as a micro-brewery and 1,036 apartments. Salmaan Hasan, chief executive of Minerva, said:

A new civic park is at the heart of plans for a mixed-use scheme to be developed on the site of an existing JCB factory in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. The masterplan, designed by newly-appointed London-based McDowell + Benedetti Architects (MBA), includes a 5,000sq m innovation centre, a 3,000sq m primary care trust facility, a créche, 260 homes and 5,000sq m of retail space. Part of the plans for the civic park

Work on the first section of a new 16.8km (10.4-mile) waterfront promenade in Edinburgh is set to get underway in January between Silverknowes and Granton. A timetable has now been drawn up for the 30-year scheme, which will eventually link Cramond with Joppa. The City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) has already earmarked £210,000 this financial year to enable work to start on the first 1km (0.62-mile) stage. Project manager, Steve