Plans have been made public for a new retail park on the site of the former Somerfield supermarket at Freeport Fleetwood.

The new shopping centre is set to attract prestigious retailers to the town, developers said.

Owners of the site, Hermes (Freeport) Limited Partnership, have submitted a planning application to Wyre Borough Council outlining the proposed remodelling and extension of the supermarket which has been vacant since closing for business in March 2007.

The proposed plan will see the redevelopment of the empty supermarket building to create a terrace consisting of nine retail units fronting the Freeport car park.

The vacant supermarket currently extends to 18,500 sq ft (1,720 sq m) and this development will create a further 30,117 sq ft (2,798 sq m) of new retail space.

Once complete the Retail Park would then extend to 48,631 sq ft (4,518 sq m) gross.

Dan Mason, the Development Director of REALM, the managing agent of the site, said: “We think this proposal is excellent news for Fleetwood and the investment will bring increased employment and provide Fleetwood residents with another high quality shopping offer without having to leave the town.

"We also believe it will attract new shoppers into Fleetwood from further afield and should therefore benefit the whole town.

“We are in advanced discussions with some very well known and popular national multiple retailers about coming to Fleetwood as part of this development.

"We cannot reveal the names yet but they will complement the existing retail offer of the town and should be a very exciting addition.”

Planners at Wyre Borough Council are expected to look into the plan at a later date before making a recommendation that will go before the authority's planning committee.