Stoke-on-Trent City Council (STCC) has announced that six design teams have been shortlisted to lead plans for a multi-million pound refurbishment of the city's public squares and streets.

Aecom; BDP; Camlin Lonsdale Landscape Architects; Gillespies; Nicholas de Jong Associates and Planit are the firms to be selected by the council to draw up more detailed plans as part of a wider £1.5bn transformation of the area. Covering around 80,000sq m (861,113sq ft) of public space, the project will form part of the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership's (NSRP) bid to improve the city centre with enhanced greenery and upgraded pedestrian links.

Concept designs are due to be revealed in May when the plans are put to public consultation, with construction work scheduled to start on site in early 2011. STCC cabinet member for regeneration Brian Ward said: "The level of interest in the competition goes to show the importance and scale of regeneration being undertaken here in North Staffordshire.

"It is important that the winning design complements the major developments already being undertaken, including, the £275m retail complex the East West Centre, the 100,000 sq m (1 million sq ft) business district and new bus station."