PUBLIC opinion is divided over the decision to scrap a planned £15million redesign of George Square.

Protesters are still celebrating the announcement that Glasgow City Council has ditched the controversial project.

But many others are unhappy that little other than resurfacing work will now be carried out in time for next year's Commonwealth Games.

City bosses say a radical redesign could be carried out after the Games, but only if there is public demand.

The council had launched an international design competition for the Square, attracting 35 submissions from around the world.

A shortlist of six was drawn up and experts spent days studying each of the proposals.

They eventually opted for a scheme by UK architects John McAslan & Partners, but city leader Gordon Matheson said it would not go ahead.

He insisted the people of Glasgow had made it clear they did not want a radical redesign of the square. Mr Matheson said the area would now be resurfaced and the unpopular red Tarmac replaced by a high quality surface.

Other than that, the public will see little difference to the area.

What will go unseen will be underground electrical cables that will allow equipment in the Square to be plugged into concealed sockets, ending the need for ugly, noisy generators to be in the Square during events.

A council spokes- man said: "Details of the facelift are to be announced later, but it will include retaining the statues and grassed areas and replacing the red Tarmac."

There have been calls to restore the flower beds and trees that were ripped out when the last major facelift was carried out in 1998.

But the council says that is not possible if the Square is to be used for major public events, such as the switch-on of the Christmas lights, which attracts about 17,000 people.

vivienne.nicoll@ eveningtimes.co.uk