PREVIOUS plans to redesign George square were abandoned after falling foul of public opinion.

Yesterday the Evening Times revealed how the council is planning a consultation to ask what the people of Glasgow want from George Square before commissioning a design.

Six years ago, a contest was run to transform the square with several firms submitting plans.

They included water features, moving the statues and even shifting the central Walter Scott column to the outer edge.

Read more: Glasgow City Council's plans to overhaul George Square revealed

The winning design, by John McAslan and Partners, was chosen but quickly abandoned as the then council leader said it was clear the public didn’t support the plans”.

Gordon Matheson said: “The people of Glasgow have made it clear that they do not want a radical redesign. I am proud that I am listening to them.”

The decision was mired in controversy, with complaints lodged and investigations launched with Mr Matheson the subject of a police investigation.

Mr Matheson was cleared of any misconduct in his handling and the scrapping of the design contest.

Now years later as the council looks to revisit plans to redesign George Square many of the features of the six submitted designs could be back on the table – if there is public appetite for them.

Most involved water features from traditional style fountains to ponds and water jet fountains.

Statues were moved in many of the ideas either completely or to a new location within the square but it proved to controversial. In 1998, the revamp of the square proved highly unpopular.

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Trees were removed, grassed areas, popular with sunbathers in the summer, ripped out and he square resurfaced with red tarmac, quickly nicknamed red square.

It provided a bigger more flexible space for events but the public was not impressed.

Following the scrapping of the 2013 contest, some of the green space was reinstated and the red surface ripped up and replaced with a more subtle grey resin surface.

This time the council says it wants public opinions before it commissions a design and it not expected to involve a competition.

Susan Aitken, Glasgow City Council Leader, said: “We won’t repeat the mistakes of the past.”