THEY have served as homes to singer/ songwriter Nick Cave and controversial artist Damien Hirst.

In London's trendy Chelsea you could pay more than £1million to secure your luxury 83ft-long property.

And this summer Glasgow may be offering residences for people looking for something different.

But instead of enjoying calming views over the water, these properties will be bobbing happily on it.

Public sector body Scottish Canals has launched a public consultation on plans to moor eight residential and commercial boats at Speirs Wharf in North Glasgow, just minutes from the city centre.

Depending on the outcome, a trial scheme could be launched within weeks.

According to the Residential Boat Owners Association, 15,000 people live on Britain's rivers, canals and tidal waters.

Prices range from £100,000 to £250,000 for a houseboat but the sky's the limit for luxury vessels in top locations.

In Glasgow, the aim is to bring the Forth and Clyde Canal back to life with more people and groups using it for living, commercial use and pleasure.

As part of the draft waterspace strategy which is out for consultation, Scottish Canals is focusing initially on increasing the number of people living or working on the water.

Richard Millar, waterway development manager for Scottish Canals, said: "The Glasgow canal regeneration project is making huge progress on the bankside in and around the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow.

"We have a thriving cultural neighbourhood at Speirs Wharf, including the city's most exciting venue the Glue Factory and soon Glasgow Sculpture Studios will move into the Whisky Bond by the canal.

"We have also got a stunning flight of locks at Maryhill and there is some great new housing being built.

"However, if the canal is going to become a real distinct, vibrant part of the city, a place people can feel really proud of and enjoy, then we also need to see more activity on the canal itself.

"This means attracting more people to live, work and play on the water.

"When the Forth and Clyde Canal reopened through the Millennium Link Project more than a decade ago, more and more boats began travelling on the waterway.

"Many of those boats and the canal societies, social enterprises and waterside charities, which work tirelessly to introduce people to the benefits of the canals, are still going strong and doing fabulous work.

"We are also well under way raising funds for a national paddlesports centre at Pinkston, Port Dundas."

The £2.2million facility will be Scotland's first competition standard, purpose built paddlesports centre.

Mr Millar said: "We can still do much more to encourage more leisure and recreational activity like this on the canal but what we want to look at now is how we can fire people's imagination in living or operating a business on the canal.

"Up to now, the residential and commercial markets have grown slowly and organically on the canals.

"We have 20 residential moorings along a 35-mile stretch of the canal at Auchinstarry near Kilsyth, Bowling and at Applecross Street along from Speirs Wharf.

"We believe there will be a real demand for living on the canal.

"Over 4500 boats in England and Wales are believed to be used as a main residence.

"Look at Holland and Scandinavia too and you can see the real interest of living on the water.

"We believe if we make more residential moorings available on our canals we will see demand here too.

"Living on a houseboat can be an attractive alternative to buying a house.

"It is a lifestyle choice or perhaps a way to work within today's difficult economic climate.

"Creating communities of residential and commercial boats will really benefit local waterside communities.

"As well as being attractive to look at and adding a sense of security to the waterside, commercial boats can offer new amenities to an area and new residents will spend on local services.

"The canal is very much part of the communities it travels through so we are keen to hear not just from those who currently visit and use the canal but from those who live near it and might have ideas about how we can ensure it is a thriving local amenity for their neighbourhood.

"We also want to hear from everyone who has considered, or might consider, living or running a business on the water."

Residential moorings will be released individually on online auction.

To read the consultation and submit a response visit www.scottishcanals.co.uk

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