Plans have been submitted for a £300 million retail expansion project in Sheffield.

British Land is proposing to extend the Meadowhall shopping centre to create a multi-million pound Meadowhall Leisure Hall.

The 330,000 sq ft scheme forms part of a five-year plan to extend the centre's leisure offering and will follow a £60m refurbishment which is set to be complete at the end of 2017.

Features include a multi-level extension housed under a glazed roof, adding dining and entertainment options as well as internal and external spaces for events and community use. These include new restaurants, a modern cinema, a new café court, gym and additional leisure space.

An open-air terrace will also be developed, while the Leisure Hall will be integrated with the front of the existing centre to create a new multi-levelled, landscaped open space. Detailed plans have also been drawn up to create a multi-storey car park, including proposals for high-tech electronic signage to show car park space availability, electric car charging points, pedestrian walkways, cycle parking and a cycle lane.

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Sustainable features of the development include solar panels on the roof of the new cinema, as well as a number of areas of new planting to help reduce air pollution and aid bio-diversity, such as 'green walls' in the new multi-storey car park.

The project will create around 540 jobs during its construction with up to 1,400 jobs once completed.

Charles Maudsley, Head of Retail and Leisure for British Land, said: "The exciting £60 million refurbishment completing next year, the continued leasing success and Leisure Hall plans combined reinforce our commitment to ensuring Meadowhall remains an outstanding place for modern consumer lifestyles.

"The Leisure Hall will continue Meadowhall's evolution, creating a place with a bolder, broader and deeper leisure mix. The plans will provide a number of benefits to the entire Sheffield City Region and are complementary to other schemes coming forward which together ensure the region plays a central role in the Northern Powerhouse."

Sheffield City Council is expected to make a decision on the scheme in spring 2017.

(LM)