Councillors are being urged to withdraw their consent for the first part of a £250million development at a former Mearns air base.
RAF Edzell, near Laurencekirk, could be transformed into a village with 1,000 homes, a primary school, community hall and shops. It would be known as Newesk.
Family firm Carnegie Base Services was granted permission for the first 300 homes in April last year, on the condition it contributed to affordable housing and community facilities as part of a Section 75 agreement.
But Aberdeenshire Council planning bosses have revealed that they have been unable to reach agreement with the developer about the contribution, and are urging members of the local authority’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee to revoke consent as a result.
In a report, director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer tells members there has been no progress on an agreement.
He tells the committee that the developer said it had been in talks with Scottish Water about the cost of servicing the base and allowing residents of Edzell Woods to connect to the network, as well as trying to meet the council’s housing service to discuss the affordable housing provision.
But Mr Archer says talks with Scottish Water were not a relevant excuse for the delays, as they were not part of the Section 75 agreement, and that the stipulation that 20% of houses – 60 units – were affordable was “non-negotiable”.
He adds: “Whilst the planning service wish to see allocated sites in the local development plan delivered, the delays in this instance leave little option but to refuse the proposal due to the failure to agree to the required developer contributions through the Section 75 process.”
Last night, a spokesman for Carnegie Base Services urged councillors to allow the firm more time to reach an agreement about the planning conditions.
He said: “We have been involved in lengthy negotiations with Aberdeenshire Council and as yet have been unable to agree to the terms officials have sought.
“However, we would hope that elected members will see the continued potential for positive development at Newesk, and give us the opportunity to continue dialogue with the planning service by allowing the permission in place to remain.”