THE roof of a sunken conference centre will provide a stunning walkway into a

public square at the heart of the winning design to regenerate Worcester's old Royal Infirmary site.

The victorious architects say they hope to restore the historic buildings on the site to their former glory.

The chosen design for the £90m development - which will provide the University Of Worcester with a second campus - will also give the city innovative art, theatre and conference facilities.

The five-acre development in Castle Street will create an estimated 1,250 new jobs and inject an extra £60m per year into the economy of the region as a whole.

Architects Building Design Partnership beat off a shortlist of four leading architects, to create the campus.

The site is set to include:

l A centrepiece town square which it is hoped will become a popular place for Worcester people as well as well as a tourist attraction.

l Studio space, complete with restaurant and viewing gallery, with views across the racecourse and the River Severn.

l A conference centre set into a slope, with its roof forming

a meandering walkway into the square.

l Performance spaces, student residences, hotel, restaurants, cafes and bookshops.

Helen Groves, the architect associate director at BDP, said she looked forward to making the plans a reality.

She said: "This development will restore historically significant buildings to their former glory, while creating a dynamic learning quarter for the city of Worcester and beyond."

University Of Worcester vice-chancellor Prof David Green said he was impressed by the plans.

He said: "This development will turn a badly neglected part of Worcester into a first-class educational and cultural quarter for the benefit of the whole city and beyond.

"This campus will combine historic buildings alongside the best of new, and with a university town square at its heart, justice will be done to this major strategic site."

A further £50m will be invested to create a joint university and public library and history centre next to the Castle Street campus, on the site of the current council refuse centre in The Butts.

Detailed work is now beginning on the design, with formal proposals due to be submitted for planning approval later this year, when there will be more public consultation.