An armchair helicopter tour of Norwich city centre as it could be in the near future is being offered as part of the public consultation into changes in and around Golden Ball Street, All Saints Green and Westlegate.

The virtual tour gives a bird's eye view of the streets as they could be if the proposals go ahead as planned.

The strategy would see Westlegate closed to traffic and open Golden Ball Street to two-way traffic whilst All Saints Street would become a new public open space in the heart of the city.

Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council are seeking the views of residents and road users for their thoughts on the proposals.

Cllr Steve Morphew, chair of the joint Norwich Highways Agency Committee, said: 'This is an excellent way of helping people see how these changes will affect this important part of the city centre. It can be quite difficult to grasp how plans will work in reality, especially when there are a number of measures over quite a wide area.

'We know from the St Augustine's scheme that people really liked the virtual drive around the new one-way gyratory system. It was viewed thousands of times, and some people said it was the first time they really understood how it would work.

'This time the view is from above, and we are making it available at a much earlier stage to help people understand and comment upon the proposals.'

Cllr Bert Bremner, Norwich City Council Cabinet member for environment and sustainable development, said: 'I recommend that anyone interested in these proposals takes a couple of minutes to watch this fantastic virtual tour. It's a quick, concise and easy to understand way of finding out about what's planned in the Golden Ball Street area, which will help people to make well-informed contributions to our consultation.'

It is hoped the scheme will improve the retail experience in the area for shoppers and business owners and improve journeys around the city and access to car parks.

Plans should also make bus travel smoother through the city.

An exhibition of the plans is on display on the first floor of City Hall. There is also a window display in Westlegate Tower.

The consultation continues until July 27, and people's views will be reported to Norwich Highways Agency Committee on September 17. Following any changes arising from the consultation, it is hoped that work will start early in 2016, with completion in the autumn.

Comments can be made in the following ways:

• Online, via www.norfolk.gov.uk/citychanges

• Email to norwich.transport@norfolk.gov.uk

• By post to Golden Ball Street/Westlegate Consultation, Transport for Norwich – floor 6, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH.