A city centre office tower could be housing a new foodstore or shops as part of plans to transform a "dead, dark and uninviting" building and tap into the new Grand Central and John Lewis development.

Commercial property company Bruntwood has lodged plans to change offices and a plant area on the ground floor of Centre City, in Hill Street, into 5,360 sq ft of retail space across two units.

It is also planning to create a second entrance to access a self-contained reception suite on the first floor of the 21-storey building. Bruntwood said the new unit would also be available for office usage.

The Birmingham office of property consultancy Turley and city practice Associated Architects are working on the scheme which will also benefit from its close proximity to a new entrance into New Street station.

Centre City, which also has three basement levels and covers 208,000 sq ft, was designed by Richard Seifert and Partners and completed in 1975.

It originally contained a theatre, which was part of the council granting planning permission, and nightclub on the ground floor.

Associated Architects said in a design statement that the theatre remained unused until 1990, possibly due to its proximity to a trio of other theatres, so this and the nightclub were converted into additional offices.

The main reception area, accessed from Hill Street, has undergone a recent refurbishment which was completed earlier this year.

The design statement added: "Aside from (these) improvements, the remaining existing external finishes at street level, which include white curtain walling... beige tiles and cream cladding boards, were installed during a conversion in the 1990s and now appear tired and outdated.

"With its dark-tinted glazing at street level, the frontages from the centre of the Hill Street elevation, and continuing along Smallbrook Queensway and Theatre Approach, are dead, dark and uninviting.

"An increase in footfall past the building is probable due to the new station entrance on Hill Street.

"Therefore, it is likely that retail units in this location will be well-used, particularly in the context of other emerging major retailers in the vicinity such as John Lewis.

"The new retail use proposed for the ground floor is in line with other ground floor uses in the area and will introduce much needed activity."

Bruntwood acquired Centre City in 2012 from JLL which had been appointed receiver a year earlier.