AMBITIOUS plans to bring a huge new Tesco to Clydebank town centre have moved a step closer to becoming a reality. Last Wednesday, bosses at West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) were given the green light to conclude revised missives over the sale of the Play Drome to the supermarket giant for �15 million.

Since 2009 council officers have been locked in crunch talks with Tesco over the proposed move which would see an 87,000 sq ft superstore - bigger than most football pitches including Hampden - established in the town centre.

The deal would also bring around 300 jobs to the area.

The global company is now hoping to conclude the deal by March 2015 with work on the shop beginning the same year.

Councillor David McBride, convener of Housing, Environmental and Economic Development (HEED), hailed last week's decision.

He said: "Thanks to the hard work and tenacity of our staff and the continued interest of Tesco, things are moving forward. Tesco have said they will submit a planning application for an 87,000 sq feet store by July, which could mean the sale happens as early as March 2015." The original plan involved the council using the funds from the sale of the Play Drome site to pay for a new leisure centre for Clydebank.

As negotiations continued, the council used its recently approved ten year capital plan to earmark �18 million of its own money to build a new leisure facility by 2018.

HEED last week instructed a paper go to the June Council meeting requesting this funding be brought forward so that construction work can begin at Queen's Quay by April 2014.

Councillor Lawrence O'Neill, vice convener of economic development, said: "We are committed to building a new leisure centre for Clydebank and contributing to the regeneration of the Queens Quay site.

"If the council agrees to bring forward the funding we will be able to deliver on that ambition, and give officers and Tesco the time and space they need to progress towards the sale of the Play Drome site.

"If a deal can be done then it will also mean that we will be well under way with the construction of the new leisure centre when the time comes to hand over the Play Drome site to Tesco." However, it is estimated it would take around two years and nine months to build of a new Leisure Centre in the town which has led many to question the decision to sell the area's only existing leisure centre.

Employees working at the Play Drome would are also now likely be directly affected.

At last week's meeting Councillor William Hendrie said: "For the best part of six to 12 months locals would not have access to the leisure centre. Do the council have an option to mitigate that business to Alexandria during that time?

"There is no swimming pool and would it be free of charge for transport." Councillor Kath Ryall added: "The impact the lack of access to facilities will have over this time needs to be taken into consideration. A year in a life of a child is quite significant." Elaine Melrose, executive director of HEED for WDC, said: "What I would expect to happen with the users of the facility and leisure trust look at the demand and provide transport to use the facilities within West Dunbartonshire, one of the things we need to discuss with the leisure trust." Councillor David McBride said: "It not an ideal scenario, but it is a pragmatic way forward with the result justified in the long term." On Friday a spokeswoman for Tesco said: "We continue to work with West Dunbartonshire Council in order to bring a new Tesco store, jobs and investment to Clydebank town centre.

"We have been delighted with the positive response we have received from the local community during our consultation.

"We have not yet submitted a planning application, but discussions with the council are ongoing and progressing well." Last month we revealed Tesco were also hoping to establish a smaller store at the site of the old Costcutter store on Rockbank Place, Hardgate.