Nottingham City Council still needs to find cash to carry out essential work at the Broadmarsh shopping centre site so it can promote its new vision to outside investors.
A vision for the half-demolished site was revealed last year after months of public consultation but question marks hang over when it will come to fruition.
The council needs to find some of the £6m it needs for site master planning and legal work to take the vision to the private and public sector markets.
