An outline planning application for the transformation of East Float, which forms the main section of the £4.5bn Wirral Waters regeneration project at Birkenhead Docks, have been submitted to Wirral Council.

Manchester-based developer Peel is leading the mixed-use scheme, which covers a 1.4 million sq m (15 million sq ft) area and will boast a range of restaurants, cafés and bars, a hotel and conference centre and cultural attractions. More than 13,500 new homes, civic and community buildings and green spaces are also included in the plans, which comprises five individual districts - SkyCity, Four Bridges, Northbank West, Marina View and Vittoria Studios.

Each areas has been designed by individual architects, such as Glenn Howells Architects, BroadwayMalyan, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and HKR. Wirral Council leader Steve Foulkes said: "This is a significant step in our vision to regenerate Wirral. It is encouraging that even at a time of such economic difficulties we continue to make significant progress towards the delivery of our ambitious investment strategy.

"The challenge for us now is to ensure this exciting vision delivers real benefits for the residents and businesses of Wirral and indeed the wider region." Peel's Richard Mawdsley added: "As well as targeting new start-ups and growing local companies, we can see Wirral Waters having an appeal to companies who have become discontent with London and the South East and wanting to relocate.

"I can see a government department; a Ministry of Justice, or the Department of Culture, Media and Sport being blown away by Wirral Waters. Peel has experience in delivering these big relocations as we are currently moving the BBC to Salford Quays." In August, Wirral Council approved planning permission for the Northbank East part of the development, which runs along the northern edge of East Float and includes the redevelopment of land surrounding historic Grain Warehouses.