Plans to regenerate Preston city centre have been unveiled, with the aim of breathing new life into the faltering city centre.

Preston council’s major plans include creating an office quarter, building a new cinema, increasing the number of homes in the city centre and revitalising the city’s leisure and culture offering.

Plans are already afoot to make major improvements to the city’s transport system as part of the City Deal, which the council sees as complementary to the revitalisation plans.

“The plans set out the policies and proposals that will help manage new development to help deliver something new for Preston,” reads the council’s report. “Something that will bring people from all sections of the community back into the city centre to work, live and spend – reversing the trends observed across the country.”

As part of the push for more retail and leisure facilities, the plan recommends a new city cinema centre and is inviting submissions “which provide evidence to support any potential city centre locations for a new cinema”.

A portion of vacant shops, left empty due to the changing retail environment and growth of internet shopping, could also be filled with various leisure offerings as an alternative.

The proposals also see the historical Preston Market continue to operate, but at a smaller size to remain viable.

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The proposed city centre plan is a clear indication that things are starting to move forward for Preston.

“The challenge facing our local politicians is to fully engage the private sector in its development and implementation.”

Final consultations on the proposal finish 11 December.