Aberdeen City Council is looking for construction firms to carry out a £30m (US$50.9m, €37.8m) revamp of the Scottish city’s art gallery.

The local authority’s approved plans include the construction of a new rooftop gallery and the extension of the gallery’s iconic war memorial.

“It's great to see the next step towards expanding the Art Gallery has been taken,” said council chair Dustin Macdonald in a statement.

The council has committed £10m (US$11.7m, €12.6m) towards the project, with a further £10m being raised through public funding. In addition, a further application for £10m has been made to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

Proposals for the interior include stripping-out spaces, including the entrance lobby and staircase leading to the first floor of the Art Gallery; relocating granite columns and reinstating the pilaster vaulting; refurbishment of the Cowdray Hall; the creation of a community gallery as part of a new wing at the rear of the building; and the installation of a new principal staircase.

Once work is underway, it is expected to take two years to complete.