Floating village plan unveiled for River Clyde

The development would have its own private moorings

Plans have been unveiled for a £30m floating leisure village on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow.

Under the proposal, a u-shaped floating road would be built at Canting Basin, which is part of Prince's Dock at the back of the city's Science Centre.

This would lead to a mix of office buildings, studio flats and town houses with their own private moorings.

If planning permission is granted and private funding can be found the complex could be in place by 2015.

The development includes private flats and town houses

The company Floating Concepts has been selected by economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, as the preferred bidder to take the project forward.

Its proposal was designed by Glasgow-based ZM Architecture and specialist water-based architects Baca Limited of London.

The firm claims that up to 450 jobs could be created in transforming Canting Basin into a "spectacular floating community" with "shops, offices, houses, restaurants, a marina and a roof-top concert arena".

Floating Concepts chief executive, David Beard, said: "All great coastal cities have a prime waterfront destination and now Glasgow has the chance to join those ranks.

"The iconic nature of a floating village will turn the Canting Basin into a major attraction quite unlike any other in the world, as well as being a dynamic centre for local people and businesses."

The firm will now approach Glasgow City Council with a view to submitting an outline planning application.

If this is granted, and private finance for the deal can be found, work could start by the summer of 2012, with completion in two to three years.