Today sees the dawn of a new era in shopping as the £500-million Cabot Circus flings its doors open to the people of Bristol.

After 10 years of planning and three years of building, shoppers can finally visit the centre which is bringing 140 shops and more than 4,000 jobs to the city.

The fluorescent yellow bibs and hard hats have gone and the UK's newest shopping development is set to transform shopping habits of people in Bristol and further afield.

Now the buzz of shoppers rather than hammering of builders will echo around the impressive centre.

The 36-acre site also includes cafes, restaurants, a luxury cinema, offices, apartments, a hotel and a 2,600-space car park.

Bob De Barr, project director of the Bristol Alliance which oversaw the development, said: "We are tremendously excited to be opening after so many years of hard work.

"Eight years after the Bristol Alliance was formed we are delivering the product – it is a long time but still quite quick for a project like this. Over the last few days there has been such a lot happening out there – there has been a real buzz about the place.

"It is a very important time for Bristol – this is the missing link in the city centre."

Cabot Circus has a 100,000 sq ft Showcase Cinema de Lux, a three-storey Harvey Nichols at the base of a residential tower of luxury apartments, and a new House of Fraser, showcasing the retailer's new vision for its stores.

Work by Bristol City Council to install a bus lane at the bottom of the M32, approaching the development, was finished yesterday in time for the opening.

Bristol City Council leader Helen Holland said: "Bristol's regeneration and the renaissance of the harbour, the old city, Temple Quay, Queen Square and our highly-valued but previously under-used urban spaces, have been very much a major part of my world for 15 years.

"Supported by many talented Bristolians and other specialists who have come to love Bristol as much as we do, we have worked together to bring renewal and employment, as well as spark and new life to our city, without compromising our history and industrial heritage.

"Cabot Circus delivers our ambition for retail. It combines a fantastic design, with the sensitive remodelling of treasured spaces."

Building the centre brought employment to 20,000 people.

The opening of Cabot Circus will boost the economy of Bristol and the wider region, according to the South West Regional Development Agency. Director Ian Knight said: "The city's quality of life is well documented and it is excellent at attracting and retaining major employers. But the absence of a major city centre shopping destination has held the city back."