Plans for a desperately needed new supermarket on the outskirts of Stonehaven have been given the go-ahead.
The new Morrisons store at the Ury Estate will be the first of its kind ever built in the coastal town.
It will bring an end to the Co-op’s monopoly, and create an estimated 120 jobs locally.
And now that it has cleared this hurdle, the supermarket could be open as soon as late 2022.
‘We really need this’
In recent weeks, residents and the Stonehaven Community Council implored Aberdeenshire Council planning chiefs to rubber-stamp the scheme.
One woman, who said she gets by on £545 every month, said that a better selection of food stores is necessary.
In her letter to the local authority, she said: “Please get our new supermarket built, we really need this.
“It’s been hard this year, [with the] cost of food up.”
The community council’s Keith Simpson said the need for the new supermarket is “widely recognised”.
He added: “This supermarket will provide the residents of Stonehaven a wider choice for their shopping needs.”
Stonehaven Morrisons part of major development
Morrisons teamed up with the FM Group as part of the Ury Estate redevelopment for the proposal.
The massive scheme includes transforming the B-listed Ury House into apartments, with a clubhouse below, and building more than 200 homes.
Work has also started on the construction of an £80 million championship golf course, which has been designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
It will be located at the centre of the estate.
The store, adjacent to the A90 Aberdeen-Dundee and Slug Road, will have a 300-space car park.
And there might be more good news to come for Stonehaven shoppers.
You can read the council’s decision on the planning application here.
