The first glimpse of the way the latest addition to Bolton's cultural quarter will look has been revealed.
The 11-storey hotel, residential, retail and office complex will be built on the site of the former Odeon cinema in Ashburner Street, if plans are approved.
Developer Woodthorpe Homes says it will complement the stonework of Le Mans Crescent, create a new public square and office space for 200 employees.
But the plans will disappoint those who wanted features of the original Art Deco building to be preserved.
The theatre and cinema - which hosted acts such as Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry and the Bee Gees - is in the process of being demolished.
And the developer said it was "not practical" to retain any of the original brickwork.
Project leader Alan Hegarty said: "We wanted to keep the public involved and so we will have a piazza in the middle of the building.
"It will very much be a public space and could be used by local artists for presentations or for small concerts."
The planned development comprises 50 apartments, an 84-bedroom hotel, 4850sq-metre office space, 86 underground parking spaces and could feature shops, cafes, restaurants and a gym.
Many people have contacted The Bolton News calling for the Odeon building to be preserved but Mr Hegarty said its brick construction had created a lot of "dead space".
"We realised it was a historic building and we wanted to take people's ideas on board. We tried to work within the facade but it just wasn't practical," he said.
"There has been a lot of flood damage to the building because there had been no active use in recent years and parts of the roof had fallen in."
He said the architects had drawn inspiration from Le Mans Crescent and the firm planned to use stonework to blend in with the surroundings.
So far there have been no objections to the development and consultation finishes next Wednesday, ahead of an expected decision early next month.
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