Millionaire developers Stewart Milne and Ian Suttie last night tabled their first plans for a 3,000-home new town on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
Hundreds of millions of pounds are to be spent creating a new community at Countesswells, to the west of the city.
It will include three schools, shops and plots for business.
The businessmen lodged a planning application for the first 128 homes yesterday, and work is expected to begin at the site later this year if it gets the go-ahead.
The Countesswells consortium – Stewart Milne Homes, Mr Suttie trading as IDJ properties and Heron Property – said homes could be available by next year.
The 410-acre farmland site lies between Bieldside to the south and Kingswells to the north. It is bounded to the east by Hazlehead woods, park and golf courses, and to the west by Foggieton and Countesswells Wood.
Stewart Milne Group managing director Glenn Allison said the new community would play a key role in accommodating the booming population of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
He also said the scheme would mean hundreds of jobs for the north-east.
“This is a very exciting project for us and our partners and is one which will make a long-term contribution to the social and economic life of the city and surrounding region,” he said.
“Countesswells will be a new community with its own identity, in a desirable and attractive rural location, providing a high-quality and high-amenity place for people of all ages to live.
“We are bringing forward plans to support the creation of Countesswells in line with the local development plan allocation for the site and look forward to working with the city council during the planning process.”
The masterplan for Countesswells has been created following an extensive consultation with community councils, councillors, MSPs, MPs and local residents.
The first phase will comprise 1,000 homes with supporting infrastructure, including a primary school. Another 2,000 properties will be added over the next two phases, as well as a second primary school and a secondary school which will “alleviate pressure” on the academies in neighbouring Westhill and Hazlehead.
The finished development will also feature leisure and community facilities, healthcare facilities shops and 10 hectares of employment land.
Vast green spaces will be created within the community – connecting Hazlehead and Countesswells woods.
The homes will range from premium properties to first-time buyer homes and pensioner schemes.
The plans will also bring upgraded access roads to the area.
Access to the new town will be from the A944 Aberdeen-Strathdon road in the north and Cults in the south.
The developers say the completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route in 2018 will ease pressure on these roads.
Bus services in the area will be significantly overhauled, with plans to operate in conjunction with the park and ride site at Kingswells.
Subject to all permission being granted by late summer 2014, infrastructure works will begin on site this autumn.
The first homes are expected to be made available in 2015.