Devonport is home to the city's navy base

Government regeneration agency English Partnerships has applied for outline planning permission for the scheme in the Devonport area.

In its proposals to provide the homes, it describes about a quarter of them as "affordable".

There would also be a healthcare centre, supermarket, shops and offices and other workspaces.

Local involvement

The scheme includes redevelopment plans for the area's South Yard Stores Enclave, which is due to be bought from the Ministry of Defence by the city next month.

The wall surrounding the enclave would be demolished in stages as regeneration of the area progressed.

The wall was built as the Royal Navy dockyard expanded in the early 1960s.

However, Devonport's historic market hall would be kept and a new public square created.

Steve Jackson, senior regeneration manager at English Partnerships, said the redevelopment of the site would help to revitalise Devonport as a whole.

He said: �We have carefully consulted our partners to work out what needs to be done to put the heart back into Devonport.

"This scheme will enable us to achieve what we know is important to local people, based on our discussions with them, and we will continue to involve them at every stage."