PROPOSALS have been announced that could revitalise retail and leisure facilities in a North-East city centre.

Business entrepreneur Alex Bastholm has drawn up plans to develop the area round Sunderland's Crowtree Leisure Centre and the nearby former central fire station.

It follows the recent unveiling of plans by the Tesco store group to develop the disused former Vaux Brewery site bordering on the city centre.

Alternative plans for the Vaux site are to be put forward by the urban regeneration group Sunderland ARC later this week.

Mr Bastholm has outlined his scheme for a section of the city centre, just a few hundred yards from the old Vaux site.

It would see the Crowtree site converted into a mix of retail and leisure facilities - doubling the size of The Bridges shopping area.

The proposals include a 120,000sq ft, 24-hour supermarket in the leisure centre building.

Several well-known stores are already said to be expressing interest.

Mr Bastholm said the proposed development, Crowtree Retail Centre, could retain some leisure use, possibly with indoor bowl and health and fitness facilities, but would also feature restaurants, specialist shops and entertainment.

The fire station part of the £60m development would be linked to the rest of the site by a footbridge over High Street West, which would become a row of upmarket shops and bistros, with a two-storey car park above.

If given the go-ahead it could see up to 1,000 jobs created, with Mr Bastholm's Sunderland company, Regen 2000, said to have £60m to invest in the scheme, supplemented by store-chain backers.

Mr Bastholm, who helped spark the Dalton Flatts development now under way in Murton, east Durham, said his latest plans would build on the success of The Bridges, which has undergone expansion in recent years.

"Success breeds success and if this plan was approved the shopping floor space in The Bridges would virtually double and could equal both the MetroCentre and Eldon Square."

He is already understood to have briefed city council officials about the plans, and hopes to meet council leader Councillor Bob Symonds in the near future to discuss the proposals further.