Gloucester City Council (GCC) and Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company (GHURC) are inviting developers to put forward proposals for the £350m redevelopment of the city centre.

The 28-acre (11.3-hectare) King's Quarter development is set to include new leisure facilities and new public spaces, as well as the creation of at least 25,000sq ft (2,323sq m) of retail floor space, in a bid to increase the area's use into the evening. Led by GCC and GHURC, the King's Quarter scheme is one of a number of developments dubbed the 'magnificent seven' designed to regenerate Gloucester, with the £400m Gloucester Quays project set to be completed in the very near future.

Interested companies will be briefed by the council in March before a shortlist is drawn up in May. A contract for the development is expected to be awarded to the preferred developer by the end of the year. GCC leader, Paul James, said: "This is an opportunity for developers to be involved in designing and building a scheme in the heart of Gloucester.

"This is one of the key redevelopment schemes for Gloucester but we must remember that it is also an extremely large and complex project. As such, we need to be aware that it will take time to pull it together, get the appropriate planning permissions and see work start on the site." Chris Oldershaw, GHURC chief executive, added: "King's Quarter is a key component of the wider city regeneration and redevelopment will significantly boost the city's prime retail offer and invigorate an area of the city which lies close to the hearts of the people of Gloucester."