The ambitious £350 million scheme to transform the town was backed by councillors at last night's cabinet meeting.

Committee members agreed to the project brief and timescale and that a project management team should be established to oversee the scheme and report back to the council.

The 30-year vision for Swindon as a world class European city was unveiled by the council in October.

A team of the country's top planners and designers spent nearly a year drawing up the plan, commissioned by the borough council at a cost of £97,000.

It proposes a transformed town centre featuring public squares, boulevards and a revitalised cultural scene with a 24-hour library, art gallery and multiplex cinema.

The North Star area would also face an ambitious overhaul which would see the creation of a science and education park. This would also be the main location for the University of Bath in Swindon campus along with a rebuilt Oasis leisure centre.

In Old Town, the parking system would be redesigned to encourage the growth of more speciality shops, residential and office accommodation.

Under the scheme, all three areas would be linked by an ultra modern tram system running at regular intervals in a figure of eight loop.

Funding for the scheme will mainly come from the private sector.

An intensive consultation process is underway to allow the public to have a say in the development of the project.