COUNCIL bosses want powers to buy chunks of central Glasgow to help the city's biggest mall expand – but won't say where.

Officials will this week ask councillors to back compulsory purchase orders (CPO) for unspecified, "land and interests," blocking the redevelopment of Buchanan Galleries.

But opposition politicians want to know exactly what the city is threatening to buy on behalf of the mall before giving their blessing to the proposal.

Nina Baker, the Green councillor for the city centre, said: "We are being asked to vote for a pig in a poke.

"Well, I would like to open that poke and see what is inside – preferably in public."

SNP leader on the council, Councillor Graeme Hendry said: "Approving CPO powers without identifying where it will be used is highly irregular and something we will need to watch.

"We will listen carefully to officers to see if it can be justified and hear what safeguards are given to ensure the power is used appropriately."

Officials insist that councillors are only being asked to approve a policy of CPOs "in principle" and that any specific forced purchases would be referred back to Glasgow's all-powerful executive committee.

However, approval "in principle" would provide Buchanan Galleries with a powerful bargaining chip when negotiating with city centre landowners.

The mall – which already has outline planning permission for an extension – will spill out beyond its existing space to swallow Queen Street Station under a deal with Network Rail.

But its owners – a joint venture of Land Securities and Jersey-based investors Henderson called Buchanan Partnership – will need to buy more land before they get detailed permits.

A report prepared for the executive committee and Richard Brown, director of development and regeneration, said: "There are a number of outstanding interests within the proposed development site that are blocking the Buchanan Partnership from submitting applications.

"It is therefore necessary to promote a CPO to secure the outstanding interests to allow the extensions to Buchanan Galleries and secure the regeneration of this part of the city centre."

The city council has already pledged to support the "regeneration" with hard cash – amid allegations that it is favouring Buchanan Galleries over other city malls and retailers.

The council will borrow around £80m to support the expansion – more than half of which will go directly to Buchanan Galleries to finance urban realm and other work. It will then repay this loan with additional rates generated by the bigger mall. Its business case, although backed by the Scottish Government, is based on retail sales expanding at a worst case of more than 2% a year for the next 25 years.

Ms Baker and other politicians regard this as a "gamble".

However, council chiefs argue it is one worth taking because it unlocks some £310m in private investment and will help create hundreds of retail jobs in the flat-lining economy.

The executive committee, dominated by the ruling Labour group, meets on Thursday.

It will also be asked to approve a deal with Buchanan Partnership to ensure the developer picks up the costs of any CPOs.

A council spokesman said: "This is a request in principle for the council to use statutory CPO powers, should they be required.

"If they are ultimately required, a further report would come to the Executive Committee."

david.leask@eveningtimes.co.uk