Plans for a £170 million expansion for a new university campus in Aberdeen have been given the green light by councillors.

Robert Gordon University received unanimous planning approval from Aberdeen City Council’s planning department for the new Garthdee complex.

The development includes a large academic building and teaching blocks which will feature a 90 metre high iconic tower.

The University's plans for 34,000 square metres of new build development were submitted the local authority last year.

Mike Berry, Director of Estates said, "We're delighted that the next phase of construction has been approved.

“Detailed planning approval of the new teaching and learning building is a further positive step in the University's ongoing plans for the development of its Garthdee campus."

The development will create a central hub for the existing campus which lies on the banks of the River Dee in the south of the city.

The new buildings will be connected to the existing Faculty of Health and Social Care, which neighbours RGU: SPORT and Aberdeen Business School.

The new development will see disciplines that are currently taught in buildings in the city centre relocated at the Garthdee Campus

The work is expected to be completed in two phases with a potential completion date of August 2012.