High street clothing chain H&M is hoping to come to Burton after months of speculation, new plans have revealed.

It comes as a business leader called for more national stores to open branches in the town.

The Burton Mail reported in January that the popular fashion retailer was said to be eyeing up a move to the town and hoped to move into an empty unit next to the town’s new Next store in Underhill Walk at Coopers Square shopping centre.

Although H&M bosses remain tight-lipped, proposals have now been submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council for permission to advertise its logo on the front of the unit and the side of the shopping centre.

It is thought the store is set to open on April 26. It is not yet known how many jobs will be created, according to the plans which had gone to the council for consideration.

Now Chris Plant, director of the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce hailed the news as "tremendous", adding that the town needed a mix of national stores as well as it acting as the first step for budding entrepreneurs.

He said: "It's tremendous news for the town and really does underline the importance of Burton as an across-the-board retail destination. It really does add to Burton's broad range of offers as a retail destination.

H&M will move in here

"What we need in Burton town centre is a mix of good national stores, to attract footfall, and we need to open up any empty shops for young entrepreneurs.

"We need a balanced town centre offer, a mix of nationals and independent small businesses. We are proud of our independent retailers that are the lifeblood of our economy, who make Burton what it is and give the town centre its own unique character, this move adds another hook to bring more people into the town.

"Companies only go where they believe they can be successful, it is another positive signal that Burton is a great place to do business. We believe companies like H&M will be successful here and I would encourage other businesses to follow suit."

The news comes a year after the Burton Mail revealed the top fashion retailer, which sells a range of adults and children’s clothing, had expressed an interest in setting up in the town.

BHS made up the original row of shops in Underhill Walk

The chain, which has stores across the UK, including in Derby's Intu shopping centre confirmed at the end of 2016 it did have a "requirement" to come to Burton town centre. The news emerged in a marketing report conducted by owners of one of the town's other centres - The Octagon shopping centre.

The report had been compiled to convince the council’s planning department that the Octagon's empty first floor was no longer viable as retail space due to a lack of footfall passing through. Proposals for a gym on the first floor were later approved.

The report concluded that there had been no interest from retailers in its floor - except from H&M, which confirmed it had an interest in Burton - but only in having a store in Coopers Square shopping centre.

The shop unit which H&M is hoping to move into was originally part of the BHS store, which closed in July 2016. The large shop was then split into two units, one large one which Next now has , with H&M aiming to move into the smaller remaining unit.

The advertising tower at Underhill Walk will see the H&M logo displayed

It comes just weeks after the shopping centre lost its Ann Summers store as the sex toy and lingerie chain announced it would, instead, be concentrating on its larger stores elsewhere.

H&M do not need permission to move into the shop unit as the retail use there is already established, but it does need the green light to add its logos. The plan submitted to the borough council is for three signs, including one on Coopers Square building, with permission lasting until 2023.

The decision is due to be made in the next few months.

A spokesman for H&M was unvailable.