The Scottish Government has ruled that housing developments near an Aberdeenshire town should be limited until proposals to expand a major road have moved forward.
Senior Holyrood planners said it would “not be appropriate” to set aside any land for new homes near Inverurie in the next four years before a favoured plan for dualling the A96 between Aberdeen and Huntly had been identified.
Transport Scotland admitted it will be 2019 before a “preferred option” for the Aberdeenshire leg of the project was identified.
Proposals being considered by the body for the “eastern section” of the A96 include a dual carriageway from Blackburn to just north of Huntly, passing west of Inverurie and close to the Bennachie Forest.
Another is a smaller eastern bypass, connecting Inverurie and the Glens of Foudland.
Both would be delivered alongside the wider improvements, which largely follow the current A96 route with changes around Inverurie, Elgin and Forres.
The Scottish Government’s department for planning and environmental appeals recently examined Aberdeenshire Council’s proposed 2016 local development plan.
It stated there was “uncertainty” surrounding housing land allocations near Inveurie, because no preferred option had been identified.
The DPEA’s feedback admitted this “currently limits development opportunities in Inverurie”.
The report stated: “It is not considered to be appropriate to allocate additional land in the Inverurie – Blackburn SGA (strategic growth area) at this present time.
“However, this position will be subject to review through the next local development plan, by which time the preferred option for the A96 dualling will be known.”
Chairman of the Garioch area committee and Lib Dem councillor, Fergus Hood, said major planning decisions for the Inverurie area were being made harder for the local authority due to uncertainty about the dualling plans.
Queues of traffic frequently line the dual carriageway at the main entrance to Inverurie, with the town centre often gridlocked.
Mr Hood added: “They are basically saying the (government) reporter agrees with the council we shouldn’t consider any significant development around Inverurie other than what is currently in the plan, until the route of the A96 has been established.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said options for the eastern section of the A96 would progress, following the appointment of design consultants later this year.