Developers are planning a four-star, 200-bed hotel on the site of a derelict car park in Glasgow's Merchant City.

The proposed £30m city-centre development would span six storeys next to the recently refurbished City Halls and Fruitmarket and would include space for shopping outlets, meeting rooms, bars, restaurants and underground parking.

It has been designed by the renowned Edinburgh-based architect Allan Murray on behalf of James Montgomery, the developer who owns The Ivory Hotel and Restaurant in Camphill Avenue, Langside.

Mr Montgomery said last night he was negotiating a deal with a global hotel brand not currently in Glasgow and would be aiming at the high end of the hotel market.

He said: "It's something fresh and new.

There is not an Allan Murray building in Glasgow and the hotel brand we are negotiating with is also not in the city."

Plans for the Ingram Street development have been submitted to Glasgow City Council's planning department and went on public display earlier this week.

They include four levels of hotel rooms, sitting on top of two floors comprising a spacious lobby area facing on to Ingram Street, together with room for restaurants, bars and meeting rooms.

It would also include 27,000 sq ft of retail space, on ground level and part of the basement level.

Mr Montgomery is also behind plans to turn a B-listed school in the south side of Glasgow into a five-star hotel, with eight luxurious suites, a gourmet restaurant and an art deco-style bar.

He said his latest development would be aimed at the four-star market - similar to that of the Radisson, which has since been given five stars.

At the launch of its tourism strategy in October last year, Glasgow City Council announced plans to create demand for a further 3000 hotel beds in the city.

This is seen by city planners and tourism agencies as vital in building the framework for an expanding tourism sector which can accommodate the Commonwealth Games in 2014, the opening of the new Riverside Museum and SECC Arena and deliver on its major events strategy.

The proposal is likely to go before the council's planning department for consideration in February.