The plan would see the Kingsway completely refurbished

A planning application has been submitted to the city council for a �20m refurbishment of the Kingsway centre.

The redevelopment would see a full refurbishment of the complex, built in the 1960s.

It is part of regeneration proposals for the city centre which would also see a revamp of other shopping areas.

This includes plans by Modus Corovest (Newport) which could a Debenhams store built on a site adjacent to the Kingsway centre.

On Friday, details of the Kingsway refurbishment were released by developers UBS Global Asset Management and Chester Properties.

They aim to fully refurbish the 200,000 sq ft shopping centre, with new entrances, a new interior and new glazed central square.

How the entrances to the Kingsway would look

The developers hope it will result in "a lighter, brighter shopping centre with a wide range of new shops".

The plans include a new 750-space multi-storey car park to replace the redundant Kingsway car park as well as a new food court, situated on the site of Bridge Square.

Other improvements include new retail units at the entrance from John Frost Square and improved access.

Under the proposals, Newport's Dolman Theatre will also have a complete refurbishment with a new dedicated entrance from Kingsway.

Tom Tyler of Chester Properties said that if the plans were approved by the council, work would be completed by summer 2007.

"We are very excited about this proposal," he said.

"We aim to start demolition of the existing car park towards the end of this year with the new building work and refurbishment to follow from the beginning of next year."