The plans will see a £50m luxury 4-star hotel built next to Lime Street station as well as a £100m refurbishment of St John's Centre.

Land Securities which built the shopping centre in 1969, plans to extend the shopping centre from 360,600 sq ft to 479,000 sq ft.

City landmark Stanley Dock, which has been derelict for almost 50 years will undergo renovation work which will see the tobacco building transformed into 900 apartments, offices and leisure facilities.