Aberdeenshire Council will force the sale of land on the outskirts of a north-east town so that construction of a new primary school can begin.
The authority will now apply to the Scottish Government to progress the compulsory purchase of land at Midmill for a second primary school in Kintore.
The opening of the school has already been delayed by a year after discussions between the authority and the developers failed to secure the delivery of the land.
Last month, the council said it would seek a CPO if negotiations between the Kintore Consortium – which is made up of developers Kirkwood Homes, Malcolm Allan and Barratt Homes – and landowners were not successful.
Nearly 600 children are having to put up with overcrowding at the existing Kintore school, which was designed for 415 pupils when it opened in 2006.
Aberdeenshire Council’s head of property, Allan Whyte, said the authority were ready to begin work on the project.
He said: “We have planning approval, funding and a contractor ready and waiting to commence construction and we are keen to move forward with the purchase of land as soon as possible so that the growing community of Kintore can benefit from a new primary school.”
East Garioch councillor Fergus Hood said he was pleased the project was progressing.
“I think it is very positive that the council are moving forward with the compulsory purchase of the land but it disappointing that an agreement could not be reached through the Consortium,” he said.
“There seems to have been problems in transferring the land but that is not something the council can get involved in – the only alternative was to go down the CPO route.
“The other disappointment is that because it has taken so long to acquire the land it means the school will not open in August 2015 but will be delayed by a year.
“The council cannot progress the project until they gain access to the land – the funding is in place and a detailed design has been approved so it is the only thing that is holding us back.
“We will not give up, we will just have to keep going until the council eventually gets access to the land.”
Last night a spokesman for the developers refused to comment.