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London's Biggest Shopping Centre - Plans Unveiled (for 2008)

* +250 stores

* £1.6billion / US$3billion

* Same size as Bluewater Shopping Centre (just outside London)

Plans for greater London's biggest shopping centre, which could rival the traditional retail districts such as Oxford Street, have been unveiled.

The Westfield Centre in White City, forms part of a massive £1.6bn regeneration project in west London.

The shopping mall will house an atrium for live events, 15 restaurants, shops, 4,500 parking spaces, 265 shops, a cinema and other leisure facilities.

A new Tube station, two bus terminals and a railway will serve the site.

Work has already begun on the centre, which is due to be completed in 2008.

It is at the heart of a major drive to regenerate the area, which also includes a £170m upgrade to the transport network and more than 200 flats in an affordable housing scheme.

Developers estimate that 60% of visitors to the new shopping centre will come by public transport.

Those behind the plans for the Westfield Centre say they aim to "break the mould" of dining and entertainment in shopping centres.

Marks and Spencer, Next, Debenhams and Waitrose are among High Street names which have already been signed up.

Jeremy Baker, marketing lecturer at London Metropolitan University, said footfall figures showed out of town shopping was growing while Oxford Street was stable.

"The danger for Oxford Street is White City will just cream off all the rich people of west London and the medium-income people, and they just won't struggle into Oxford Street," he told BBC London.

Mayor Ken Livingstone has suggested he would like to see Oxford Street pedestrianised, with a tram running from end to end.