AN area of derelict ground in the East End of Glasgow is to be transformed into a £200million housing development.

AN area of derelict ground in the East End of Glasgow is to be transformed into a £200million housing development.

Last week the city council agreed to sell a huge site bordered by Bellgrove Street and Duke Street to Glasgow-based Dawn Developments for £30million.

Company managing director Alan Macdonald today unveiled the firm's plans for the land which was once the site of Glasgow's former meat market.

Company bosses decided they wanted a design which was different to anything else available in the city and as part of their research travelled to villages in Bavaria.

Today Mr Macdonald revealed they had come up with a development with 585 homes - not 385 as previously thought - from affordable housing and one-bedroom flats to townhouses.

They will all have individual back court gardens and the houses will be interspersed by dramatic water features.

Mr Macdonald said: "We have brought in three different firms of concept architects because we are going to create something very different.

"The development will be very much a mix of family houses but there will be affordable housing in there, as well as three to four-bedroom homes.

"There is a supermarket as part of the development and there will be a lot of water features.

"We have put a lot of emphasis on the back courtyards to make sure they are all individually designed.

"We believe the East End of Glasgow is a fantastic opportunity for regeneration and this site is a link between the Merchant City and Dennistoun.

"The total cost of the scheme will be around £200m and will create something like 150 jobs."

Work should start in 2009 and be complete around three years later.

Local councillor George Redmond said the Dawn Developments scheme - on a 13-acre site - was one of several in the area.

He said: "Something like £1billion of private housing development is going through the planning process for the East End.

"That is really exciting for the area and shows the confidence that has been shown, not just by housing developers, but by the business community.

"We are going to see the East End as a place which is fantastic to live, work and play in."

Dawn Developments is also behind a £150m scheme to transform a former railway goods yard at the junction of High street and Duke Street.

Collegelands, will include two office blocks, a hotel, multi-storey car park and housing for 650 students.