Plans for a new hotel in the centre of Cardiff have been revealed.
The 166-room hotel will be created by adapting and building two new storeys on top of a Grade II-listed site on the capital's main shopping street.
The planning application states the scheme would create 143 full time jobs.
The building, at 10-25 Queen Street, was previously known as Queens West Shopping Centre and is on the corner with The Friary, among its current tenants is Superdrug, a JD Gym and Live Lounge.
The application was submitted by the independent planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore on behalf of Mahavir Properties.
Joe Ayoubkhani, a planning associate at Barton Willmore, said: "Its an exciting scheme which will breathe new life into an underutilised building.
"The proposed hotel will bring additional footfall to this part of Queen Street and create a buzz which is very much required."
Barton Willmore provided planning, architecture and heritage consultancy for Mahavir Properties.
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"The proposals are sensitively designed and have been informed by pre-application engagement with the council," added Mr Ayoubkhani.
"We undertook a consultation on the proposals before Christmas and no objections were received."
The building is currently subdivided into a number of retail and food/drink units, some of are vacant, along with a gym on the second floor.
The application says the building has been subject to significant internal alteration throughout its life which has seen much of the internal fabric removed and replaced to support new and alternative uses. First from a department store in 1987 to a shopping centre, and then, subsequently sub-divided into separate retail units with part of the building converted into a gym.
The western part of the site incorporates a Grade II Listed frontage of the former Marments Department Store at Queen’s West Shopping Precinct.
The proposal seeks to convert part of the existing building together with extending the building upwards to a total of five storeys - providing an additional two storeys - to deliver hotel accommodation and retain the majority of the existing retail and food and drink accommodation, which includes the Live Lounge venue.
The plans say that much of the ground floor and retail uses will remain as they are and with the predominant retail frontage being maintained.
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Mr Ayoubkhani said: "Mahavir Properties are keeping potential occupiers under review pending the planning process."
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The main entrance to the proposed hotel is provided from Queen Street, utilising the two empty retail spaces. It is proposed that the hotel will provide 166 rooms together with ancillary accommodation such as servicing, bar/restaurant and circulation space.
The application was submitted by the independent planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore on behalf of Mahavir Properties.
The application is currently being considered by Cardiff Council and determined by them in due course.