Just five years after the centre opened, developers Lend Lease want to increase its size by more than half — adding 215,000 square feet to the present 420,000 square feet.

Plans include 40 new retail units, a food hall, an extension to two existing retail units and an additional 330 parking spaces.

If the project goes ahead, it is expected to generate 400 jobs during the construction phase and between 500 and 600 long-term jobs once completed.

Members of the city council’s development quality committee considered four separate planning applications.

Overgate GP Ltd. sought permission for a two-storey extension to existing building and a new multi-story car park at the rear of the existing centre; an extension west of the Bank Street car park to enlarge two existing units; the change of use of retail and storage space on the second level of the centre; and consent to demolish certain listed property in North Lindsay Street, while retaining the building facade.

There were objections, with expressions of concern over the impact on retail outlets in Murraygate, but the four applications were approved.

The first of the four is now being referred to Scottish ministers for a decision and the listed building demolition issue is being referred to Historic Scotland for their observations.

A spokesperson at Holyrood said the Scottish Executive ministers had to be ensured all due consultations took place before a decision.

Responding to the decisions, Lend Lease said the extension would strengthen Overgate’s role as “a vital link between the city’s retail core and the emerging cultural quarter”.

A spokesperson said, “Since the application was submitted in October, Lend Lease has worked closely with Dundee City Council and key stakeholders to refine the scheme and, following extensive public consultation, has made a number of key changes to the original proposals.

“This includes the partial retention of the listed tenement building on North Lindsay Street, amendments to the design and a package of local traffic management initiatives to accommodate the development.”

Lend Lease also said that following a public exhibition hosted by the company in November, the response from the general public has been hugely supportive of the proposals.

Overgate general manager Simon Donaldson added there had been discussions with a number of retailers with an interest in taking space.

Apart from the now required backing from Holyrood ministers, crucial to Lend Lease’s plans is getting access to all the relevant site, which currently accommodates, amongst others, a Salvation Army building, a windscreen replacement outlet and a Lidl supermarket.

Negotiations are now taking place with various parties with existing interests on the extension site, including Lidl.

Late last summer, when the extension plans were first unveiled, Lidl indicated the company had had no contact over the plans and had no intention to move from their site near the West Port roundabout.

However, Lidl property manager Douglas Marshall said the company had since been in ongoing discussions with the city council and Lend Lease.

“We have yet to reach any final agreement,” he added.