Work on a long-awaited supermarket in the north-east’s largest town is due to start later this month.
Peterhead’s Kirk Street will be closed for up to 28 days while the demolition of old flats at the former Kirkburn Mill takes place.
Aldi plans to build a store on the site and the budget supermarket aims to have it open by the end of the year.
It is hoped the move will create up to 30 new jobs and boost the local economy to the tune of £2.5million.
Aldi’s site would include two separate retail units and a car park for 150 shoppers.
The process of tearing down the old mill will begin on Wednesday, January 24 and the council has said a section of the road next to the site will be off limits to motorists during this time for safety reasons.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman confirmed Kirk Street, which leads to the town centre, will be shut during the works.
He said: “The road will be closed for 28 days in the interest of public safety while demolition works take place to clear the site for a new supermarket.”
The German firm first proposed building a shop in Peterhead more than a decade ago but it was not until February 2016 that planning permission in principle was granted.
That agreement was subject to conditions including an archaeological investigation of the Kirkburn Mill site and a formal demolition plan for a block of flats on the land.
But both of those issues have since been resolved.
The company’s managing director wrote to local MSP Stewart Stevenson twice about a delay to the project and insisted it would go ahead.
Mr Stevenson responded to the chain’s boss Richard Holloway.
He said: “The creation of this supermarket has been long overdue and I am delighted work will finally start in the coming month or so.
“The north-east has been badly hit by the oil and gas downturn and this will be a much-needed boost for the local economy and the jobs market as well.
“I wish Aldi every success during the construction phase and look forward to seeing how it all comes together in the future.”
An Aldi spokesman said the project is now moving ahead.
He said: “Demolition work for our new store in Peterhead will begin this month, with construction to follow.
“We hope to open the store in winter this year.”
