A major new hotel and conference centre could be built near Birmingham city centre by the UK's largest trade union.

It emerged last year Unite the Union was consulting with Birmingham City Council on plans for the hub which would also provide new regional offices and was being valued at £35 million.

New plans have now been lodged with the council to develop two buildings on land at the corner of Woodcock Street and Jennens Road on Birmingham Science Park Aston.

The hotel would be seven storeys high, the upper five of which would contain 170 bedrooms above reception areas, a restaurant, bar and 45,750 sq ft of conference and meeting facilities capable of holding up to 1,000 delegates.

An adjoining five-storey building would contain 55,260 sq ft of office accommodation for around 225 staff from Unite.

The brace of buildings would be connected at the lower levels on the 2.2-acre site in the Eastside area of Birmingham and the total development including parking will cover more than 200,000 sq ft.

Known as 'Holt Court', the site currently consists of four office buildings grouped around a landscaped courtyard and the most southerly of these will be demolished to make way for the development.

A design statement prepared by Irish architecture practice Consarc said: "The Eastside agenda seeks to redevelop, reinvigorate and relink to the city centre what has until recently been seen as a run down and neglected area of the city.

"On the opposite side of Jennens Road is the northern edge of Eastside Locks, a new development area that includes the locally listed Co-op building and which will extend regeneration alongside the disused canal.

"The site was formerly an area of 18th and 19th century domestic and small-scale industrial buildings, whose expansion was supported by the construction of the canal in 1790. Despite redevelopment, much of the original street pattern remains.

"By positioning the building here, the union hopes to significantly contribute to the emerging community and firmly believes it will benefit from the expertise and skills prevalent to the area."