The canalside development will turn 28 acres of rubble into a supermarket, marina, housing development and nature reserve.

Plans to transform the Cottam Brickworks site, which has lain derelict and undeveloped for more than half a century, have been submitted to the city's council.

It is hoped work to decontaminate the former quarry, which has been filled with builder's waste in recent years, will get started this year, with construction work beginning within two years.

The project will safeguard the jobs of up to 100 builders at Preston construction firm John Turner and Sons, which stands to get an £8m boost from the deal.

The £80m plans include a massive Tesco supermarket as well as a marina complex, nature reserve and a combined development of housing and offices.

Ian Rankin, chairman of developers Cottam Hall Properties, said: "We have the decontamination work and work to develop a nature reserve on the site to do first, then the builders can get on site.

"Obviously any timescale is subject to many possible delays, but we are hopeful that the door could be opening to the new Tesco store within two or three years.

"We know from our previous consultations with local people there is a tremendous amount of support locally for the scheme, so we are hopeful we can get going soon."

John Turner managing director John Clarke, who bought the business from Mr Rankin in 2007, said it would be subject to "seasonal restrictions" on ecological issues, including removing Greater Crested Newts from the site.

He said it would also have a major project building infrastructure on site, including roads and sewers, which he expected to take around two years, with building work on the supermarket starting at the end of that period.

A Preston Council spokesman confirmed the application had been submitted by Cottam Hall Properties and Tesco with detailed plans submitted for the supermarket, marina and nature reserve, and an outline proposal for the housing and office developments.

The Elsie Finney House care home, which is part of the scheme, opened at the end of last year.

It could take up to four months for the application to go before the council's planning committee for approval.

A Tesco spokesman said: "Tesco is delighted to be part of this major regeneration."

Julie Buttle, who represents Lea on Preston Council, said she hoped to use the authority's Citizenzone bus to take the plans into the community.

Ingol ward councillor Bill Shannon said: "It is great news that the application has now gone in but as with all these things, the devil is in the detail.

"We shall look at the plans and if there is any issues regarding parking, traffic and the construction process."

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