A north-east port could be declared an enterprise zone to help it bounce back from the blow of losing hundreds of fish processing jobs.
Council chiefs believe radical action is needed to breathe new life into the Fraserburgh economy and help it diversify.
And they want the Scottish Government to give it special status to ensure it recovers from the mass redundancies at the Young’s Seafoods plant.
Firms already get business rates relief and a streamlined planning process inside 14 enterprise zones across Scotland, including the Bio Quarter science centre in Edinburgh.
The scheme also provides specialist staff training and international marketing for new businesses.
Now Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure boss Stephen Archer wants councillors to consider offering the same incentives in Fraserburgh in partnership with the Scottish Government.
He said local authority officers were already working with government officials on the possible benefits and opportunities the move could deliver.
In a report to the council’s regeneration group, Mr Archer says: “The Scottish programme of enterprise areas is currently being reviewed and the timing is right to get a balanced view on the successes and limitations of the current programme.”
The report describes past efforts at inward investment across Scotland as “blunt and ultimately ineffective” and says it is vital companies do not relocate once incentives dry up.
In Fraserburgh, the majority of successful firms are locally-owned and unlikely to move.
But Mr Archer says the downside is that enterprise zones cannot benefit existing businesses and in the past the areas have rarely flourished without significant spending from the government and council at the same time.
The call to consider creating a Fraserburgh enterprise zone was backed last night.
Conservative member Jim Gifford, leader of the Alliance Opposition and a member of the regeneration group, said: “We have to keep every opportunity in front of us that might be able to bring investment and jobs to the north-east, and Fraserburgh in particular.
“It’s worth pursuing and making our case.”
And north-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald – a member of the Young’s jobs task force – said Fraserburgh’s economy had to diversify.
Mr Macdonald said: “Clearly the council would have to come to an informed conclusion on whether it would actually fit Fraserburgh’s circumstances, but it’s quite clear from everything seen and heard in the last few months that Fraserburgh has a particular problem that will not be addressed with business as usual.
“It’s more than just reshuffling the pack – there’s a fundamental problem with the local economy being dependent on fish and oil when they’re both in trouble.”
Last night a Scottish Government spokesman said while new applications would be considered, the “targeted incentives” offered by enterprise zones were not always the most effective way to bolster local economies.
He said: “We are willing to consider the case for additional locations where it can be demonstrated that they would help unlock the opportunities in a particular area, but they are not always the most effective option to stimulate jobs and growth.
“However, along with our enterprise agencies we will continue to work with local and regional organisations in Fraserburgh and across Scotland to maximise the benefits and jobs from all opportunities as they arise.”
Aberdeenshire Council’s regeneration group will meet on Wednesday to discuss the report.