A Midland developer has announced revised plans for a £50 million mixed use scheme in Coventry city centre after it failed to attract a big supermarket chain.

Belbroughton based Barberry Developments has unveiled new proposals for its Bishop Gate development on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office, almost two years after original plans were revealed.

Initially earmarked as a supermarket-led development, with gym and leisure facilities and a 585 space car park, the supermarket element has been reduced in size to 82,000 sq ft and 319 parking spaces.

The new development will also include 50,000 sq ft of retail on the ground floor – which can be split into three units – and around 185 car park spaces.

The upper floors of the building will be converted into office space – with 50,000 sq ft on one floor and the flexibility to double that space on a second floor.

There will be another 140-space car park for the office tenants.

Barberry director Henry Bellfield said: “The supermarket sector has temporarily pulled away from taking on large spaces, but this is no reflection on the development or Coventry – this is something which is happening across the country.

“We decided that we needed to do something and with our property agents/advisors have revisited the scheme.”

Barberry has added a new pedestrian crossing to the canal basin replacing the current footbridge across the ring road.

Mr Bellfield added: “This revised scheme has the capability to generate and create a lot more jobs and the potential to add more value to the city centre.

“We are talking to national retailers with the view to becoming tenants and we are confident that this will complement the existing retail offering in the city centre.

“Ideally, we would like to start work on the development next year but first we need to finalise some of the proposals so that we can sit down with potential occupiers and gain their commitment to the scheme.

“We want to ensure that we can create as many jobs, as soon as possible, but obviously occupiers are key to this development and they will dictate when the work begins.”