Work on a long-awaited north-east supermarket will finally start next month.
Aldi first mooted plans for a shop in Peterhead a decade ago and secured planning permission to develop land at the former Kirkburn Mill site last year.
However, since then, efforts to begin construction work have stalled.
In a letter in March, the managing director of the budget supermarket, Richard Holloway, said work would begin “as soon as possible”.
He has now written again to local MSP Stewart Stevenson following an outcry about the lack of progress.
And Mr Holloway has revealed the supermarket is expected to be open by the end of 2018.
He added: “Investigatory works have already begun and materials for creating the boundary around the site are also in place.
“Major building work is expected to have started by October 2017.”
The scheme to bring Aldi to Peterhead has been ongoing since 2004, before finally gaining approval from Aberdeenshire Council in February 2016.
The supermarket is expected to create up to 30 jobs and bring a cash injection of £2.5million to the local economy.
Mr Stevenson responded: “The creation of this supermarket has been long overdue and I am delighted work will finally start in the coming month or so.
“The north-east has been badly hit by the oil and gas downturn and this will be a much-needed boost for the local economy and the jobs market as well.
“I wish Aldi every success during the construction phase and look forward to seeing how it all comes together in the future.”
Work to create the store will tear down a three-storey block of derelict flats on the site, which was formerly a textile mill.
In its place, the firm is planning to build two separate stores and a car park for 150 shoppers.
In the first phase, Aldi will build its own supermarket unit before later building a second store which will be leased out.