New cafes and restaurants will be created as part of Dundee’s ongoing waterfront regeneration, with the city council preparing to invest £1.3 million.
The money would be used to develop four retail units for rent on Shore Terrace, utilising the former council housing offices on Shore Road.
From the ground-floor premises, diners would be able to look out over the waterfront.
Councillors are expected to back the move next week as part of the rejuvenation of the heart of the city.
City development convener Will Dawson believes the businesses are needed to cater for the influx of visitors expected to be drawn by the V&A’s opening in 2018.
Councillor Dawson said: “With the opening of the V&A and the development going on at the waterfront, the city is likely to become an even bigger attraction for visitors.
“These are people who will want to eat and drink during their time here and we must ensure that city is geared up and ready to receive visitors hungry, not just for the cultural experience, but also literally with an appetite.
“The redesigned City Square and facilities there are already proving really popular with people, and the former offices in Shore Terrace offer us the perfect setting for higher quality permanent spaces suitable for cafs and restaurants.”
Dundee City Council’s construction division would carry out the works required to prepare the Shore Road offices for reuse.
They would involve stripping out the existing fixtures and fittings and preparing four basic unit shells with ventilation and connections to services including gas and electricity.
The city development committee will meet to discuss the Shore Terrace proposals on Monday.Eatery proposal for former job centreThe former home of the Department for Work and Pensions job centre on Gellatly Street could be converted into a large restaurant as part of a plan submitted to Dundee City Council.
London-based property firm Telereal Trillium has made an application that would see the eatery take shape over two floors, with the upper floor remaining as office space.
The former DWP building has been empty since 2011, when services were transferred to Wellgate House. It will now be up to the council to decide whether it can have a vibrant new use.
Architect Jon Frullani, who submitted the plans on behalf of Telereal, said: “I think it should be quite popular because of its waterfront location.”
Tim Allan, president of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, said he hoped the investment would complement the V&A museum, which is set to open in 2018.