NEW plans for the Winter Gardens and former Imax site could be submitted this year, the company overseeing Bournemouth’s Town Centre Master Vision has revealed.

The Winter Gardens – which was brought back into council ownership and incorporated into the Town Centre Vision in 2012 – is earmarked for a mix of leisure, cultural, entertainment and residential uses, along with a 400-space public car park.

The Waterfront site has been used as an open-air events arena since the demolition of the Imax but it and the adjacent Bath Road South car park is considered suitable for a mixed-use leisure, cultural and entertainment-led scheme. There is no mention of flats for this site.

Both sites are listed in the Bournemouth Development Company’s updated business plan for 2014/15, which was approved by cabinet members on Wednesday.

The Bournemouth Development Company, which is a joint partnership between Bournemouth council and Morgan Sindall, has nearly completed a residential-led scheme at the former Leyton Mount car park, as well as new student accommodation and multi-storey car park at Madeira Road West.

Its next three projects will be Durley Road, Berry Court and St Stephen’s, which will all be brought forward for development early this year.

The plans for Durley Road are a residential scheme, which could mean care or tourist accommodation.

Berry Court is also earmarked for residential development, possibly including a care scheme and St Stephen’s is suitable for residential or employment uses.

A report presented by the leader of the council Cllr John Beesley said the vision was committed to making Bournemouth more competitive and instilling market confidence that the town was a good place to invest and do business.

“In total over £100 million worth of future investment has poured into the town centre in the last eight months,” it said.

“By any measure this is a formidable achievement for a town the size of Bournemouth. Bournemouth is very much open for business.”