Days numbered for 'ugly' building

An artist's model of the replacement for Tayside House

A multi-million pound design to replace the building regarded as the ugliest in Dundee is set to be approved.

Councillors are being asked to back the £20m successor to Tayside House, home to a number of council services.

Tayside House, which was built in the 70s, would now cost millions of pounds to refurbish.

Dundee City Council officials said a new building, part of Dundee's waterfront redevelopment, would cost less to run and improve services.

'Long-term savings'

Following a public consultation based on three possible designs for the new building on the city's North Lindsay Street, officials recommended that the design submitted by Edinburgh-based architects Reiach and Hall should be the successful one.

The council's resources committee will now be asked to endorse the plans.

Council leader Jill Shimi said: "The increasing maintenance costs of Tayside House mean that finding replacement office accommodation for our staff will bring long term savings.

Tayside House is due to be demolished in 2009

"The whole of the ground floor of the office space in Dundee House will be a first-class, one-stop shop for the public to make any dealings with the council as easy and simple as possible.

"This firmly underlines the council's commitment to modernising contact with the public."

Tayside House is due for demolition in 2009.