WORCESTER’S £75 million St Martin’s Quarter shopping complex is to be extended - with a well-known city building demolished to make way for it.

Developers are going to tear down the Bedroom Centre in City Walls Road and replace it with a new red-brick and glass unit hosting shops and restaurants.

The move was backed by city councillors yesterday, who urged developers Carillion Richardson, which has bankrolled St Martin’s Quarter, to be “bold” with the scheme.

It was voted through despite concerns over City Walls Road being seen as a barrier between the shopping site, anchored by Asda, and the High Street - with councillors saying the dream of properly connecting the two has yet to work.

It comes despite St Martin’s Quarter, which opened in 2012 to much fanfare, only having seven of its 15 available units filled in the last three years.

Bosses at the company are confident by creating the extension on a great location right on the corner, it will pull in more people and lift the whole site.

Councillor Andy Roberts said: “When we considered the original St Martin’s Gate I remember being told people would gently flow across City Walls Road into this development which certainly hasn’t worked, cars have clearly taken access over people.”

Councillor Pat Agar said the City Walls Road is now “very congested” and said the existing crossing should be looked at again, but highways officer Bob Pender said changing it would make traffic worse.

Councillor David Wilkinson said he wanted the new building to have a “bold” impact but planning officer Nick Kay said the drawings supplied suggest a "clean, crisp design” which officers support.

The Asda store created 350 jobs with Ladbrokes, a 99p store, Avant Garde, Costa, Fit4Free gym and B&M opening since then.

The 1,300 square metre new-build will host around four large businesses, two of which will be restaurants.

The Bedroom Centre site was constructed in 1999 and used to be a Jaguar car showroom.

The committee agreed to request that Carillion Richardson must put cycle storage at the new development so people can reach it on bike. Cllr Wilkinson also said he will not regret the demolition of the Bedroom Centre.

“I’ve no problem with the principle of removing this, it used to be iconic when it was a car showroom with that cat on the top, but these days it’s starting to look increasingly incongruous,” he said.

Councillor Derek Prodger said: "Before it was a car showroom it was the most diabolical, ugly garage you've ever seen, this is a big improvement on that."