SCOTLAND'S biggest city has thrown its weight behind a move to bring a major film studio to the area.

Glasgow City Council has been in discussions with a "potential operator" over plans for the large film and television production hub which is under consideration to be situated at Pacific Quay in Govan.

A major US television series, Outlander, is soon to be filmed in warehouses in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, but Glasgow City Council, backed by major film producers, believe the right location for the potential studio is Govan.

The area has several brownfield sites that could be developed, including those close to BBC ­Scotland, and is already home to Film City Glasgow.

Film producers have long called for a major studio facility to be established in Scotland, and new UK tax breaks for "high end" television, plus an overall shortage of studio space in the UK, have made the case more urgent.

A council spokesman said: "Given that Glasgow makes by far the biggest contribution to the Scottish film and broadcast industry, we feel that the natural home for this hub would be in the city. Govan would be an ideal location for such a facility with both a fantastic supporting infrastructure close to the area and a skilled workforce, and we would work with any investor or other interested parties to bring a film studio to Glasgow.

"Basing the studio in the city would undoubtedly further develop the industry both in ­Glasgow and across Scotland."

Film City, which is already working to capacity with several film, television and digital companies based at its site, has plans for a 100,000 sq ft studio that can be built on brownfield sites in Govan.

This facility, which would cost about £10 million to build, could also hold several 20,000 sq ft studios.

Scotland lost out on the HBO series Game Of Thrones and about £160m in investment because of its lack of studio facilities.

Scottish Enterprise is ­compiling a report into the feasibility of a major film studio in Glasgow, close to or connected to Film City Glasgow.

Creative Scotland has ring-fenced £1m for a new facility, and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has set up a group to "actively pursue proposals for a film and TV studio in Scotland".

Gillian Berrie, one of the leading producers in Scotland, said that although the presence of the US drama in the Cumbernauld studios was good for the industry, it did not mean studio space would be available in the longer-term.

Ms Berrie, the producer of movies such as Red Road and Perfect Sense and founder of Film City Glasgow, believes any investment must be based in or near the Govan Town Hall site.

She said: "Cumbernauld is fine for TV and it's great that Outlander is there, but we mustn't forget the down-time when it's in post-production - the sets will be gathering dust and therefore the space won't be available.

"It's not clear how many series they're planning but potentially the site could be tied up for years. Also, without a guaranteed income stream, this facility is vulnerable should there be gaps in productions using the space."

She added: "Pacific Quay on the other hand was already a thriving production hub, home to Film City Glasgow, Savalas Sound, ­Serious Facilities, Sigma Films, Finestripe, Hopscotch, Wire Media, Kahleen Crawford Casting, to name a very few and all this prior to any of the recent developments around the high-end TV tax incentive."

Ms Berrie cited the example of Northern Ireland, where £10m has recently been invested in studios, adding: "This is the level we want to operate at - not more temporary development of old sheds."