The ambition of Dundee cannot be faulted. A place that for decades has been very much in the shadow of Scotland’s other largest cities has recently become the talk of a steamie of global proportions.

The new V&A museum has helped propel Dundee onto the must-visit lists of travel writers the world over, but there is still a need make the rest of the waterfront area more appealing for the benefit of tourists and locals alike. And the city council has stressed it has no intention of letting up the pace of the city’s transformation.

Now comes the news of plans to construct Scotland’s tallest building between the V&A and the Tay Road Bridge.

Plans have been unveiled for the tallest building in Scotland a 39-storey skyscraper in Dundee.

If approved by planners, the 39-floor Discovery Heights would include a conference centre, a five-star hotel, shops, luxury apartments and a ‘sky bar’, which should provide an extraordinary view of the surrounding scenery.

Developers reveal proposal for Scotland's tallest building in Dundee

According to the developer, InverTay Homes, the building – which at 141 metres or 463ft would eclipse Scotland’s current tallest building, the Glasgow Tower – would be the ‘Sydney Opera House of Scotland’, a significant boost to the city’s economy, creating nearly 1,000 jobs, and “something for Dundonians to be proud of”.

Now, clearly, the temptation to get carried away must be resisted. Success brings the risk of arrogance, over-reach and disappointment or even calamity. Councillors will need to carefully scrutinise the plans, which a council spokesperson said faced a “number of important challenges”.

But, whether it comes to fruition or not, the proposed development does seem to add to the palpable sense of excitement about Dundee. At a time when many cities and towns are gloomily concerned about the death of their high streets as shoppers increasingly move online, it appears to have found a way to make the city seem like the place to be, where there is a real buzz about the future.

Other places in Scotland might be advised to take a look at what’s happening in Dundee to see if there are any lessons to be learned from its dramatic progress. The world is changing and cities in particular need to adapt to remain the vibrant centres of society that they have been since time immemorial.

There’s no guarantee Dundee’s current success will continue, but it seems to be taking significant steps in the right direction. Others may be advised to follow.

Dundee's towering ambition shows the way '“ leader comment