Council row over new 'master plan' for Gloucester's Kings Square

Developers Stanhope signed a contract to redevelop Kings Square in 2011

Councillors have clashed over plans for the "delayed" revamp of Gloucester's Kings Square.

The Conservative-controlled city council signed a 2011 deal with developer Stanhope, which has yet to submit a planning application.

Leader Paul James said the "final scheme will be very different to what the public has seen before".

However, the Labour group criticised how long it has been delayed.

Mr James said the plans, to be discussed by cabinet in a private meeting, would be announced "within a week or two".

'Moving forward'

Stanhope now has until the end of the month to submit a planning application for the new retail development - a deadline already extended twice.

Kate Haigh, opposition leader of the Labour group, said: "I think the delays have been so long that it's time to consider what the people of Gloucester want nowadays, rather than in the context of five or six years ago when these plans were first put forward."

Conservative Mr James said regeneration of this type "took a long time".

He said: "There are complexities with the planning system, there are issues around land acquisition. But it is moving forward.

"It will not be a major retail-led scheme because the world has moved on. And I've given a commitment, as well, that we will build a new indoor market on the site next to the new bus station, which is now on site and which people said would never happen."

Stanhope declined to comment.