Budget supermarket retailer Aldi has revealed work to build a new store in a north-east town will start in December.
The scheme to bring Aldi to Peterhead has rumbled on since 2004, but was finally backed by Aberdeenshire Council in February this year.
It will be built on the former Kirkburn Mill site, with the existing three-storey “eyesore” block of flats demolished to make way for two separate retail units and a car park for 150 shoppers.
It is expected the supermarket will create 30 new jobs and bring £2.5million to the local economy.
And the first phase of construction is now set to begin in the “near future”, after Aldi’s agents, Edinburgh-based GVA James Barr, gave notice to local authority planners of pre-commencement works, including details of how waste will be managed on-site.
In its letter to Aberdeenshire Council, the firm says the council’s approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC), which safeguards the land before work is carried out, would allow Aldi to make a full planning application at a later date.
In the first phase, Aldi will build its own supermarket unit, provide car parking and landscape the area.
“This will enable to proposals to come forward for development in the near future,” a spokesman wrote.
“It is anticipated that a further AMSC will be submitted at a later date for the approval of details for the phase two part of the scheme.”
The site will be fully developed over three phases.
A spokesman for Aldi has said that work is expected to commence in December.
Concerns have been raised, however, about access to the site.
Current plans detail that vehicles will only have access to the supermarket through Kirk Street, leading to fears that nearby neighbours will be put in danger.
One couple, who live opposite the proposed entrance, said they already fear pulling out onto the busy road from their driveway.
“It will be an awful lot worse if this goes ahead,” Agnes Giulianotti said.
“There could be cars and lorries pulling in and out of there through the day and night.”
