Plans are being drawn-up to invest around £100 million in a major overhaul of Leicester railway station - including building a new entrance and multi-storey car park.
The existing Victorian station is beset by problems with congestion around its main London Road access.
Leicester City Council's ambitious scheme could cost in the region of £100 million but would involve substantial private sector investment to create "the foremost office destination in the city centre".
Much of the land it wants to use is in private hands.
The council hopes to part-fund the plans with a share of £840 million of Government cash due to be announced in the next few days.
It wants to put new public areas and green space around the Blue Tower office block next to the station and the Elizabeth House block of flats next to that, while spinning the station round so its main entrance faces away from London Road.
Documents published by the council setting out how the city centre could develop over the next 20 years set out more details of the project than have previously been disclosed.
What's in the plan
The council said: “The aspirations for the railway station are to make it a destination within the city offering high quality public realm as well as a quality office and retail offer.
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“It will become the foremost office destination within the city centre, achieved through the allocation of land around Campbell Street sorting office and the station car park for a comprehensive office development.
“How this could be achieved has been well considered.
“The stopping up of Station Street as a through route would allow a new access into the station to be created as well as high quality public realm directly outside the new station entrance.
“This would allow for greater legibility from the station to the city centre and also provide a clear arrival point for people arriving at the station.
“The new entrance could be made possible through the demolition of the buildings built along the side of the original 19th century Porte Cochere which is currently largely used as a taxi parking and circulation hub.
“This would allow the opportunity to provide active frontages to Station Street and a potential new public space.
"Diverting vehicle access to the rear of the former sorting office would improve access for taxis and allow for the Port Cochere to be used for ticketing once again.
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“This would also remove congestion from London Road, important now given the Connecting Leicester works.”
Much of the land earmarked for the development is in private hands and the council has recognised there would be a need to replace parking lost near the station should it be built on.
That could be in the form of a new multi-storey car park.
The council adds: “A challenge for the station area is the movement of taxis and vehicles entering and leaving the Port Cochere of the station from and onto London Road.
“There are also conflicts arising through many different requirements for different users in a very small area.
“Alternative solutions are being considered by the city council.”
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “We are expecting to hear very soon if we have been successful with our bid to the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
“It is a good bid and if we get the money it will make our proposals for the station area more straight forward to carry out and something we can proceed with sooner rather than later.
“If we do not get the money I am determined we will still press ahead but it will be a bit more complicated and take more time.”