Under indicative plans drawn up by Keppie Design and Arup, the Congress Road site in Finnieston will become home to new event and conference facilities, an enhanced walkway to Exhibition Centre station and a 200-bed hotel adjacent to the Crowne Plaza.

An application for planning permission in principle has been submitted to Glasgow City Council.

Scottish Event Campus Limited said in July that a robust business plan and an economic impact study will support the application and that discussions have taken place with Glasgow City Council and the Scottish and UK governments over funding for the project.

Keppie wrote in a planning statement: “The company [Scottish Event Campus Ltd] has embraced an ambitious vision for the SEC to become the best event campus in Europe, adopting the following mission statement: Best Venues, Best People, Best Events. In order to achieve this vision, enhancing and expanding the existing facilities is fundamental.

“The aim is to put the SEC in the strongest competitive position to attract high yield national and international conference business to fulfil Glasgow’s and Scotland’s potential in the market, and enjoy the economic benefits of hosting such conferences. Investment in the SEC product is essential in order to compete with the increased competition from new and refurbished venues.

“Enhancing the meeting facilities at the SEC would not only improve the ability to compete in the UK and international associations meeting markets more effectively, carefully designed additional space could provide the potential to stage two, or possibly more conferences/events at any one time. Housing multiple conferences and events concurrently has the greatest potential to generate additional business from the sector.”

A detailed planning application is expected to be submitted by summer 2020, with phased construction taking place over the following five years.