PLANS have been submitted for a £13m investment in Broughton Shopping Park which will include a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema.

The proposals would provide a major boost to the local economy, safeguarding existing jobs and creating at least 230 new ones as well as jobs during the construction of the scheme.

The scheme - which has been submitted to Flintshire County Council - would comprise an 11-screen, 1,731 seat multiplex cinema and five high quality restaurants together with public transport and public realm improvements.

The proposed cinema would be the first multiplex in Flintshire and will be run by the Cineworld chain which already has a cinema at the Greyhound Retail Park in Chester.

However, if the Broughton plan gets the go-ahead, Cineworld has indicated the Chester cinema would close when the new multiplex opens.

A two day public consultation in May found that 98% of people support the Broughton proposals with 97% saying they would use both the leisure and shopping facilities.

Public transport improvements would include a new bus interchange and real-time information, enhanced provision for pedestrians and cyclists and a new footpath along the south side of Chester Road.

The application also proposes a new pedestrian walkway connecting bus stops and the northern retail terrace with the new leisure scheme.

The extension would be located on an underutilised area of car park next to HomeSense on the southernmost retail terrace.

New parking would be provided to replace spaces and a new public space would also be created in front of the restaurant and cinema entrances.

Colin Gilligan, Broughton Shopping Park’s centre manager, said: “These plans demonstrate our commitment to continued investment in Broughton which will release its full potential. We want to preserve the park’s overall role and increase the park’s attraction so that spending time here is an even better experience for our customers.

“As well as creating vital new jobs and local investment and improving public transport and public areas, the new restaurants will enable us to attract and accommodate exciting new leisure operators which are not currently represented in the area.”

The shopping park comprises 24 units, a stand-alone restaurant, a pod unit and a public house.

The retail units are arranged in a horseshoe configuration around a central car park. Tesco and BHS anchor the scheme.