Developers are today revealing bold plans for the city’s most ambitious urban transformation in years.

Images released exclusively to the Gazette show proposals to breathe new life into a derelict expanse the size of five football pitches in central Canterbury.

Regeneration of the 10-acre site at Kingsmead will see shops, bars, restaurants, homes and a multiplex cinema built around a new public square.

When construction begins late next year, it will mark the launch of the biggest city centre development since the Whitefriars shopping complex was completed in 2005.

The eye-catching complex will sit on the site of the old coach park and Serco depot, nestled between Kingsmead Field and the Nortgate roundabout.

Last month we reported how Canterbury City Council – which owns the land – was due to choose from three bidders who had put forward proposals.

Initially, 15 developers had put their hats in the ring before the shortlist was whittled down to three.

For legal reasons the identities of the bidders has had to remain confidential.

But today, for the first time, we can reveal that the chosen developer is Bouygues, an international company whose ongoing projects include a £600 million regeneration of London’s Canning Town and a £160 million development at the University of Hertfordshire.

The city council’s chief executive, Colin Carmichael, said: “The standard of all the bids was very high, and we’re delighted to have selected such an experienced company as our partner for this exciting regeneration project for Canterbury.

“Bouygues Development has an excellent track record of developing large-scale, complex mixed-use regeneration projects such as the one we envisage for Kingsmead.

“Ultimately it was the quality of the design and their ability to deliver this project that gave Bouygues Development the edge, and we’re looking forward to working with them in the months ahead.”

Axel Boutrolle, regional director at Bouygues, said: “We were delighted to be selected as the council’s preferred development partner.

“After eight months of hard work, we are confident that we have designed a viable scheme which keeps to the council’s project scope and respects the surrounding area.

“We have put together a very competent professional team and we look forward to realising this important strategic site for Canterbury.”

Early last year, the authority was in talks with Sainsbury’s to take on the land currently occupied by the superstore.

Sainsbury’s at that time was considering a move to the site opposite, but subsequently withdrew from the plans blaming “changing shopping patterns in the food sector”.