PLANS to turn a historic office HQ into more than 100 flats are expected to be approved.

Developer FM Group wants to transform the old Cathcart House headquarters of Scottish Power into almost 130 flats.

The site on the South Side, beside the White Cart Water, has been vacant since the energy giant moved into new purpose-built offices in the city centre.

The plan, if approved, will double the number of homes on the site after permission was given earlier this year for Barratt Homes to build 130 homes on the site beside the HQ building.

Edinburgh-based FM Group is seeking permission to turn the

B Listed Cathcart House building and attached seven storey office block at Spean Street onto a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom flats.

The plan is for Cathcart House to be converted into 24 one-bedroom flats, 51 two-bedroom flats and four, three-bedroom flats.

The 1970s extension will be turned into 46 two-bedroom flats and one, one-bedroom flat. There will also be a three-bedroomed house on the site.

There will be parking for one car per home and one visitor parking space for every four homes at the site.

The building once housed 1500 Scottish Power staff before it moved into new premises in St Vincent Street.

The application states that due to the size of the property and the location several miles away form the concentration of offices in the city centre it has been difficult to find another commercial use for the blocks.

Council officials said as a result the proposal to turn the site into residential property is an appropriate way of maintaining the listed building status.

The report by Richard Brown, Executive Director of Development and Regeneration services recommended that councillors approve the plans

The development will double the number of homes that will occupy the old Scottish Power site.

Previously Barratt homes had permission granted to build 132 homes on land adjacent to the office buildings.

It prompted anger from some locals that almost 100 trees would be cut down to make way for the mixture of two three and four bedroom homes.