THIS week people who like to eat their lunchtime sandwich perched on the Concert Hall steps will find out if they are going to have to go elsewhere.

Tomorrow, members of the city council planning committee will meet in the City Chambers with only one item on the agenda - the £400million extension to Buchanan Galleries.

Most local authorities would bite the hand off a developer who wanted to invest such a vast sum of money in their city centres.

But in Glasgow there is a problem - in the shape of a set of steps.

Almost 13,000 people have made it clear in a petition and in individual letters that they want the steps to remain.

They want somewhere to sit on the few days a year when it isn't raining and their place of choice is the steps.

Glasgow councillors have had their fingers burned in the past so it will be interesting to see what they decide.

Who can forget the furore over George Square when the public revolted about plans to transform the historic heart of the city.

As a result of their outcry, the plan was dropped and virtually nothing has been done to the area in the coming months.

There are sectors of the public in Glasgow who don't like change and would prefer the city to stay exactly the way it is thank you very much.

The natural reaction of councillors is not to intentionally upset anyone hence the decision to scrap the transformation of George Square.

But there is a difference between George Square and Buchanan Galleries.

One is a public square where weary workers can sit in one of the few open areas in the city centre and enjoy a breath of fresh air.

Buchanan Galleries is a major shopping centre which is in line for a £400m extension.

Council bosses know shopping is vital to the city's economy and is one of Glasgow's biggest employers.

They are proud of the fact Glasgow is the second busiest shopping area outside London but know city centres cannot afford to stand still.

Tomorrow, members of the planning committee will be told it is crucial to the economy, as well as Glasgow's reputation, that the city centre is protected through continued development.

They will be told it has the potential to lever many millions of pounds from other developers keen to benefit from the huge number of locals and visitors to the massive new shopping mall.