Plans for a £21m regional performance centre for sport on Tayside will be redrawn after Dundee Football Club pulled out.

The original planning application for the Caird Park site was withdrawn in November due to a legal query from campaign group Care for Caird.

Those behind the plans say the latest development offers an opportunity to redesign the layout in a more efficient way.

Ken Guild, leader of Dundee City Council, said: "When the original planning application was lodged in July the centre was going to provide facilities for Dundee FC as well as a training and competition venue for regional squads across a wide but defined range of sports.

"The football club withdrawing its interest has given us an opportunity to take another look at the site and see if there is another way to lay out the facilities that we want to have there in a more efficient and effective way.

"It will also offer an opportunity to locate the new facilities further away from potentially sensitive areas within the park.

"That means that an amended planning application will be submitted once that process is complete and we have a detailed site plan to consider."

He added: "The eastern end of Caird Park is still an ideal location for this impressive centre, where it will integrate with the existing athletics stadium and velodrome.

"Council officers will now be working hard with our partners in sportscotland to provide a top-class facility that can be open for both performance and community use and will be an exciting addition to the city's superb range of sporting facilities.

"I am keen that as many people as possible benefit from the centre."

Opponents have raised environmental concerns and say it will remove the public part of Caird Park.

Last month, the plans for the centre were sent back for further scrutiny from a council development committee.