Fraserburgh is bracing itself for a massive property boom with plans for almost 600 new homes poised for approval.
Experts hope the development will go some way to meeting fast-growing demand in the Broch as commuters who have been priced out of Aberdeen’s overheating housing market look further afield.
A masterplan for the Merryhillock estate scheme is likely to be agreed by councillors next week, paving the way for work to begin early next year.
The multimillion-pound project, fronted by Fraserburgh firm Claymore Homes, could result in 590 homes along with land earmarked for business and employment.
It is one of two massive construction projects proposed for the town. A further 600 homes are planned for the Kirkton area to the south.
Members of the Banff and Buchan area committee will be asked to give their backing for the development on Tuesday and a planning application for the first phase of the project, 55 homes, could be lodged in the coming weeks.
The site lies to the west of Fraserburgh, near Boothby Road, Watermill Road and the B9031 Fraserburgh to Pennan road.
Selling agents are expecting massive interest in the new properties from house-hunters across the north-east.
Gary Mann, sales negotiator at Aberdein Consedine’s Peterhead office, said: “What we are seeing is that people who are looking to commute into work in Aberdeen might find themselves priced out of traditional commuter areas like Ellon.
“They are now looking further north to places like Peterhead and Fraserburgh where property is more affordable.
“Although we don’t have a lot of property on sale in Fraserburgh just now, when we have in the past it tends to go very quickly. I don’t think there will be a problem finding buyers for these new homes.”
A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire solicitors Stewart and Watson said: “The market is in very good shape at the moment and its definitely the case that more and more people are choosing to travel to work in Aberdeen from places like Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
“We have found that properties in the rural areas around Fraserburgh tend to sell very quickly.”
Claymore’s managing director Steven Rollo said last night: “It has taken three years to get to this point so we are delighted.
“We have a detailed planning application ready to be lodged for 55 units. This will hopefully be put to the council at the end of this month.
“We are hopeful of getting on site at the end of the year, ready for building at the start of next year.”
Fraserburgh community council has backed the plan, but secretary George Esselmont said he hoped more companies would consider setting up bases in the town too.
“Its okay to build houses but we need jobs for the people who are going to move into them,” he said.
A public consultation on the Kirkton plan, led by consultants Knight Frank, was held at Fraserburgh’s Museum of Scottish Lighthouses earlier this summer.
The port’s original £54million masterplan scheme was launched more than a decade ago and focused on improvements at the Broch’s northern edge.