Major redevelopment plan for Swansea city centre

The business district would be formed around the Kingsway

A proposed redevelopment of Swansea city centre could see the construction of a "business district" and a major shopping, leisure, cinema, office and housing complex.

The ambitious plans for the revamp includes demolishing many of the existing buildings on The Kingsway.

They also include a large raised public square bridging Oystermouth Road, linking the city centre to the marina.

The plans will go before Swansea council for approval on 20 January.

If the council gives the proposals the go-ahead, developers would need to be found with the aim of of work starting in 2016.

Part of the plans also include selling off the civic centre on the seafront to help fund the plans.

Council leader Rob Stewart told the South Wales Evening Post the plan was to build something with a "Swansea flavour" rather than just copying developments in other cities.

Empty shop units could be a thing of the past in Swansea city centre if redevelopment plans come to fruition

He said: "The regeneration of the city centre is a key priority not just for the council but for the people of Swansea as a whole.

"A new, vibrant Swansea city centre is of benefit not just to the residents and businesses of Swansea, but to people across the Swansea Bay City Region.

"We want to develop a thriving, vibrant and viable city centre. We don't want to copy from elsewhere but we do want to learn from successful development elsewhere.

"Our new city centre needs to be unique and retain a special Swansea identity and character that is not found anywhere else."