An application for resurfacing the square has been lodged, with work aimed at starting in July.

As well as a replacement for the tarmac, the plans include two new grass beds, the cleaning of the statues and the potential installation of new lighting.

The political fallout from the scrapped redesign rumbles on, with the SNP group calling for public spending watchdogs to audit the aborted design process and for new internal rules to be introduced to avoid a repetition of the fiasco.

Within hours of revelations that the Cardinal had been seen publicly for the first time since the scandal surrounding his gay relationships and abuse allegations broke, senior figures in the Church called on Rome to initiate moves to keep him away from public life.

The return has also angered one former trainee priest who claims to have been abused by the Cardinal, telling The Herald of his determination to unsettle the 75-year-old churchman’s “nice little retirement plans” with legal action.