ZM Architecture and New City Vision hope to bring the site back into use after 40 years of dereliction with the creation of 750 homes in a series of buildings ranging from four to 15 storeys in height.

It is envisaged that 100 of the homes will be made available at mid-market rents with the remainder offered for private sale and rent.

Included in this mix would be a number of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants – possibly in the form of small, lightweight, dockside pavilions with the option of introducing a hotel and offices also being explored.

Comprising three dry docks and associated piers, Govan Graving Docks was built in stages from 1869 by the Clyde Navigation Trust.

The Buildings at Risk Register describes it as an “outstanding complex, unique in Scotland”.

New City Vision plans to restore the individual docks and connect the site to the nearby Glasgow Science Centre with a new public footbridge.

In a statement, the developers said: “There will be public access anywhere without buildings – that’s over 80% of the site, including the water in the docks.

“The areas around the three docks, the basin and the river will all have public access. There’s a huge opportunity to use them for different things; going for a walk, community gardens, natural river edges, café kiosks, play areas, tai chi, restoring old boats – or just sitting and enjoying the view.”

A planning in principle application for the waterfront site is expected to be filed in April.