Councillors have agreed further investigations to be carried out before residents’ plans for better facilities in their village can move forward.
Residents of Kintore, including the community council, have repeatedly complained about the lack of amenities in the village, which has grown vastly since 2000.
Gateway Kintore lodged a masterplan outlining proposals for a supermarket, petrol station and hotel with Aberdeenshire Council along with a petition last year.
Now the authority’s Garioch area committee have said three planning tests must be carried out before any such scheme is included in a future local development plan.
Local councillor Martin Ford proposed a number of recommendations such as a retail impact assessment, ensuring the site is compatible with planning principles, and investigating existing infrastructure before the site is included in the plan.
The discussion about Kintore was held as part of the authority’s ongoing meetings about the next local development plan. The infrastructure services committee will hear updates from all the area committees and make a final decision about what should be included in the blueprint later this summer.
Mr Ford said: “The area committee is there to scrutinise proposals.
“The committee’s decision on Kintore is about ensuring sound planning and protecting public interest.”