Two dozen allotments will be created near an Aberdeenshire school as part of an ongoing community project.
Aberdeenshire Council has been working to outline options for the future of a grassy area next to Hillside School in Portlethen.
It benefits from cash secured through developer obligations but they must be used by March 2021.
Following discussions with residents, four uses for the land were earmarked, including a multi-use games arena, community allotments, a full-sized football pitch, and community path routes.
The first phase of construction, which has already been completed, resulted in the creation of a games arena.
And now, after councillors agreed the way forward at the Kincardine and Mearns area committee this week, work will soon begin on establishing 24 community allotments and a school garden.
The committee also agreed to proceed with phase three of the project, to create a community paths and plant wildflowers.
Phases four and five will involve the development of the allotments by a local group, and the creation of a full-sized grass football pitch, though that will require “substantial external funding if it is to proceed”.
Wendy Agnew, chairwoman of the area committee, said: “I am delighted that the next phases of the Hillside community project have been approved.
“We continue to have very productive discussions with the Portlethen and District Community Allotment Association, Portlethen and District Community Council and the football community.
“It is important we also acknowledge that some will be disappointed the sports facilities will not be delivered sooner, and we do empathise with them.
“However, while the current funding limits prohibit us from delivering the full-size grass pitch within this phase, they still form part of the wider works.”
