By CAROLINE WILSON

A £90million plan to transform a historic site on Glasgow’s waterfront with a boutique hotel, bars and restaurants has been unveiled.

Artisan Real Estate Investors has lodged a pre-application notice to Glasgow City Council to develop the A-listed Custom House site, which has links to famed city architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.

Artisan has agreed a leasing deal with the Dalata Hotel Group for a four-star development including 300 bedrooms, a bar, restaurant and conference facilities.

A 150-room aparthotel is also planned for the adjacent tenement buildings, together with street level bars and restaurants.

Custom House opened in 1840 and provided a direct link from the bustling Clyde quayside to the heart of the city centre. The building underwent internal modifications in 1873 carried out by the renowned Glasgow architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.

Clive Wilding, Project director, said: “This is a hugely significant opportunity to, once again, bring Glasgow’s burgeoning waterfront area back into the vibrant heart of its city centre.

“For too long, the imposing Custom House with its distinctive Greek revival frontage and its neighbouring tenements had become the forgotten segment of the city’s waterfront, having lain mostly vacant for the best part of a decade.

“We are now in a position to bring these wonderfully characterful buildings back to life, introducing established boutique hotel and aparthotel brands, which will fill the area with energy and life throughout the day and evening.

“We will now work with our partners to create a flagship regeneration project for the city, providing a seamless link from the Clyde waterfront to the St Enoch Centre transport hub and Buchanan Street - part of Glasgow’s ‘style mile’ and generally regarded as the best shopping street outside of London.”

The wider area, including Custom House Quay, Custom House Gardens and Carrick Quay form part of a long-standing council-backed scheme to transform the waterfront.