Its mills and warehouses have been re-imagined as apartments and art studios. Its economy, once sustained by thousands of pairs of jute hardened hands, now runs to the heavy hum of thousands of computers.

But despite these changes, the austere bulk of old Dundee still towers over the present. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Dundee harbour, where A-listed Clock Tower has just been revitalised.

With prices starting at £295,000 for a two bedroom apartment, Clock Tower living is not accessible to everyone, but the project’s existence points to Dundee’s changing image.

Tim Allan, of developer Unicorn Property Group, said this change was at the heart of the £4 million project.

“As a project I think it tells the story of the city’s change in fortunes,” he explained.

“In the past Dundee has perhaps suffered from its abundance of easily downscaled industrial jobs, but is now attracting sticky, hi-tech jobs.

These aren’t going anywhere and Dundee today is looking like a story of aspiration and ambition.”

The Clock Tower was originally designed to be visible to any vessel in the mouth of the Tay and upon it completion in 1877 was used as a warehouse for the jute, flax and hmep that arrived every day for processing in the city’s mills.

It was a cathedral to commerce, a vital cog in the living, breathing machinery that kept Dundee in business, and according to Mr Allen, could be once again.

He said, “The future’s looking very bright for the waterfront with the possibility of the Victoria & Albert Museum outpost arriving, along with a host of other developments.

We’re striving to bring the area up to date and back to the heart of the city’s ethos.”

The project’s architects have tried to take this idea of change from old to new to heart in each of the building’s nine apartments and three penthouses.

The interiors make features of both, original solid stone and cast iron dating back to 1877 combined with solid oak flooring and expansive glass areas across six floors. Arcing barrel vaulted ceilings and stout cast iron pillars also hark back to Dundee’s proud industrial past.

Unique, hydraulic parking systems offer two secure, indoor parking spaces to each apartment, while occupants can rest easy in the knowledge that entry to the building is controlled via a colour video entry phone system.

The open plan kitchens can be customised on purchase, allowing the buyer full control over their appearance and features and each apartment is covered throughout by Home Tech background music system, which has ceiling mounted speakers in the kitchen, bedroom, en-suite and bathroom areas.

In each of the three, two-storey penthouses, spiral staircases with carved oak treads provide the focal point for the main living area, which in each case leads to a large terrace accessed through a balcony.

A four bedroom penthouse apartment at the Clock Tower development will set you back £535,000, and George Solley, director of property sales at Thortons, said potential buyers have the chance to secure a truly special home.

“These are the kind of properties that really make a statement,” he said. “Given the current market, this development offers a real opportunity for buyers to get into a high end property at  a good price.

“It really is a type of accommodation that Dundee has never had before in the city centre.”

For more information contact Thortons on 01382 200099.

Taken from - Evening Telegraph Property Supplement