A senior UK minister has called on Tayside’s councils to bring forward proposals for a city deal that could bring up to £400 million to the area.
Several regions across Scotland have already benefitted from the cash boosts, which are designed to improve the economies of areas surrounding the major cities.
However, Dundee and Tayside have yet to secure the money — with the proposals for how the cash would be spent still being discussed locally.
Lord Andrew Dunlop — who is the under secretary of state at the Scotland Office — visited Dundee following the launch of a new flight route to Amsterdam and said he is “optimistic” the deal would go through when the proposals were put forward.
Prime Minister David Cameron pledged his support for such a deal when quizzed by Dundee West MP Chris Law at Westminster earlier this month.
Lord Dunlop said: “I think the Prime Minister made clear in the House of Commons the week before last that the UK Government is very supportive of a Tay city deal.
“Clearly, the whole UK city deal programme is from the bottom up. It requires proposals locally to come forward and then we, working with the local councils and the Scottish Government, will look at the proposals and take them forward.
“But the key thing is for the local partners here to come forward with those proposals.
“I think we’re still in the early stages of those discussions, but I’m very hopeful and optimistic that we can take them forward over the course of the next year or so.
Dundee City Council is leading work on the deal.