GLASGOW’S streets could mirror that of Europe in the coming months as businesses flock to add outdoor seating to their premises.

Following the roll out of the Commercial Waste Project in the city centre, hundreds of unsightly on-street bins have been removed from the streets.

In their place could be a wider variety of outdoor seating and a complete revamp of the city’s lanes.

Council bosses financed the removal of any bins and containers permanently being stored on public space in the city centre after the compliance date earlier this year.

Over £12,000 has been spent on delivering the project which means no trade waste containers can be left on the city’s pavements, streets or lanes outwith designated uplift windows.

Commercial bins are only allowed on the street for one hour, and if the bins are not collected on time, must be returned to the premises.

The move will be rolled out across the city before every area is compliant by early 2018.

A number of businesses have already applied for permission to add outdoor seating to their premises.

Among those is Temaki, at 113 Hope Street and 26 Bell Street, in the Merchant City, who are also looking to expand outdoors.

Elsewhere, the likes of Alchemilla and BrewDog on Argyle Street, Ketchup on Pollokshaws Road, Pianola on Crow Road and The Baillie pub in Baillieston, could all be expanding outwards.

In the city’s lanes, the authority have recently announced plans to encourage owners to make full use of the space.

Anti-social behaviour, litter and illegal parking are continuing to plague certain lanes, despite warnings from the council to private waste contractors.

Glasgow City Council are encouraging owners and users to view the city’s 90 lanes in a more positive light and as an asset they can make more use of.

A spokesman for GCC, said: “City centre lanes are now free from large bins as a result of the Commercial Waste Project in the city centre.

“Although many lanes are already successful locations, there are still challenges within some, and there is enormous potential for business growth by utilising the spaces for a number of uses in these lanes, such as outdoor cafes, events, business frontages onto the lanes as well as alternative pedestrian routes, and thanks to the Commercial Waste Project, these uses can now be considered.

“As part of the council’s city centre strategy we will also shortly be introducing a lane activation fund to stimulate interest and activity within city centre lanes.”