The new HMP Glasgow will be built on the site of the former Provan Gas Works on Royston Road in the north-east of the city.

Designed by Holmes Miller, the facility will provide a community-facing development to replace the “challenging” Victorian buildings.

Under the plans, five four-storey X-shaped house blocks will accommodate around 1,200 prisoners across the 22-hectare site, which has lain vacant since the 1980s.

To benefit inmate well-being, personal development and staff management, wing sizes will be reduced from 30 cells to 20 cells. The five smaller house blocks will replace three larger house blocks. There will also be a central facilities building.

Developers have said much of the site will be “masked” by the community-facing frontage to Royston Road and that it will be 45 metres away from any housing.

Planning documents outline: “The new development will have the same capacity as the existing prison and will provide a modern, fit-for-purpose, community-facing development to replace the challenging Victorian buildings.

“The proposed entrance plaza and Front of House building are set approximately 4m below the housing opposite, and is set back from Royston Road providing an offset of around 45m to the housing. At 2 storeys in height, the scale aligns well contextually.”

With permission already granted for the use of the land for a prison, the Scottish Prison Service is now seeking approval for the detailed plans.