ARCHITECTS are being invited to submit designs for a gateway into Coleford.

Chain the Original Factory Shop has been in discussions with Forest of Dean District Council for the past year about coming to Coleford and opening a store on the Lawnstone House and bungalow site, next to the district council's offices.

They are looking for 7,000 square feet of retail space to open a store.

To help achieve this, the council is looking for architects and architectural technicians to submit an expression of interest to design a new building.

Wendy Jackson, the council's regeneration manager, said: "This council-owned site is at a principle gateway into Coleford town centre and is on the edge of a conservation area.

"A new building could be up to three storeys high with ground-floor shopping and other complementary uses above – maybe modern office space or residential apartments. We are really keen for local architects to submit designs."

So far, 11 expressions of interest have been received by the council. The deadline for the first stage is February 17, 2012.

See more at www.fdean.gov.uk/ go/lawnstone.