A new Banchory retail park could bring popular names including M&S and Lidl to the Deeside town.
The venture is proposed for an unused field at the Hill of Banchory, just behind the town’s Tesco.
The new development would also bring discount chain Home Bargains to the area.
A huge new garden centre has been earmarked for the site too, but an operator is yet to be secured.
And a drive-thru Starbucks coffee shop would be built in the car park, along with charging facilities for 20 electric vehicles.
The scheme has been lodged by Banchory Estates Ltd, who say talks with each of the named occupiers for the units are “progressing well”.
Under the proposals, the Lidl and M&S Food store would share one building, with the Home Bargains and garden centre in another.
Banchory retail park would bring jobs boost
On the developers’ behalf, Ireland Design Architects have stressed the potential benefits.
They say it would represent “productive use” of a vacant site, create “new jobs for local people” and encourage further regeneration of the town.
Do you think the retail park would be a good thing for Banchory? Let us know in our comments section below
Plans could make big difference for Lidl fans
They also say it would reduce the number of people leaving Banchory to do their shopping, with the nearest Lidl shop 20 miles away in Aberdeen.
It comes after the German retail giant revealed in 2021 that it was interested in opening several new north-east branches.
Meanwhile, the nearest Starbucks is about 14 miles away in Westhill.
You can see the plans here, where you can also submit your views to the council.
Conversation