Green light for 600-home Blackdog scheme

Ashfield Land’s plans for a regional food hall, cinema, hotel, leisure and business facilities at Blackdog were unanimously approved last week.

It follows last month’s approval of the housing element of the scheme, under which developer Kirkwood Homes is to build 600 new homes.

The project will create thousands of jobs for local people during construction and longer term, and will significantly boost the local economy, said Ashfield.

Located to the east of the A90 and on the junction of the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, Blackdog occupies a prime gateway location on the ‘Energetica corridor’. The corridor is an investment area for energy, engineering and technology organisations.

Steven McGarva of Ashfield Land said: “[The development] will deliver substantial benefits for people living in Aberdeenshire and beyond and give local people access to leisure, retail and business facilities that have been sorely lacking in this area.”

The town centre plans are the final piece of the jigsaw that will help to deliver the ambitions of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan (LDP) and the Blackdog Masterplan, first approved by the council nearly four years ago.

James Welsh, Energetica development manager said: “This development is great news for Blackdog, which will significantly benefit the local area and complement the Energetica corridor. Once complete we hope it will offer new high-quality space to live, visit, work and do business.”

The scheme is due to be developed in phases over the next five to 10 years. Work will begin later this year.