Plans for Etruscan Square regeneration in Stoke approved

The Etruscan Square development proposes an arena, homes and a hotel

Plans to build an arena, hotel and almost 300 new homes in a city centre have been backed by councillors.

The Etruscan Square scheme, in Stoke-on-Trent, will transform land previously occupied by the former bus station and East West Precinct and is set to be developed in three phases.

A first phase will include 139 homes in three blocks plus three town houses, a courtyard for residents and shops.

The development will get £20m from the government's Levelling Up Fund.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the city council's planning committee had backed a hybrid application for the development as well as detailed plans for the first phase and had given outline consent for the following two phases.

The second phase will include 153 homes, more commercial space and an underground car park. The third phase will include the proposed 3,600-capacity arena and a 138-room hotel.

Members of the committee were shown a detailed model of the planned development

A separate planning application for a new multi-storey car park at Meigh Street to support the development was approved by the committee at the same meeting.

The chairman of the committee, Ross Irving, described the development as "more than likely the most important scheme for Hanley city centre since the development of the Potteries Shopping Centre in the 1980s".