The first significant plans for one of the city's longest-stalled regeneration projects have finally been brought forward.

The 30-acre former Battery Park site in Selly Oak could eventually house a supermarket, life sciences campus, residential accommodation, offices, retail, public realm and other commercial space.

Two new applications have now been lodged with the city council, one of which is for a two-storey, 16,000 sq ft food or retail store.

The second is a larger submission covering 17 acres and comprises a new Sainsbury's with a 42,000 sq ft sales area, nine further retail units, a petrol station, student accommodation block with 424 rooms and other open space.

Work started last autumn to decontaminate and level the area which has previously been home to an iron foundry, gas works and commercial and domestic tip.

Archaeological work is also taking place to learn more about the site's industrial past and this phase is expected to take around 20 months.

City council leader Sir Albert Bore said at the time he despaired of the eyesore site, off Aston Webb Boulevard, whose regeneration had been stalled for 13 years.

The Harvest Partnership, a joint venture between Land Securities and Sainsbury's, is leading on the retail element of the development which will be anchored by the new supermarket and lead to the closure of its store at the nearby Battery Retail Park.

Hampshire-based practice Piper Whitlock Architecture has designed both the Sainsbury's, retail and separate food store elements while Birmingham firm Glenn Howells Architects has designed the student accommodation.

These applications do not include the life sciences campus which will be the subject a separate submission in due course.