Councillors are being urged to back plans to demolish an Aberdeenshire abattoir to make way for housing.
ANM Group Ltd wants to redevelop their site at North Street, Inverurie, by knocking down the existing office building and industrial sheds that form the abattoir and a meat processing plant.
Indicative plans show about 77 homes could be built on the site, with a mix of detached and semi-detached houses and two blocks of flats.
The site, next to houses, a primary school and a B-listed church, is no longer considered appropriate for an abattoir and current occupiers Scotbeef (Inverurie) are looking to relocate.
On Tuesday, planning bosses will urge the Garioch area committee to grant planning permission in principle for the scheme.
Director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer states in a report: “There are no specific constraints on the site, though it is acknowledged that the site is confined and there are no opportunities for expansion for the existing operation.
“The site is isolated from other employment uses. It is considered that the site is poorly located for employment uses and given the nature of the industry on site, the surrounding community would benefit from an alternative use.”
Concerns have been raised about the overdevelopment of the site, and possible loss of privacy for the neighbouring properties.
However, Mr Archer tells councillors that planning officers acknowledge there may be some overshadowing for properties to the west of the site, it would not be significant or cause any intrusion.
Last year, Scotbeef revealed its intention to potentially build a new abattoir at ANM’s Thainstone Centre headquarters that would replace the one in North Street.
Yesterday, a spokesman for ANM Group Ltd said even if they were granted planning permission in principle next week, they would not be moving forward with the scheme until Scotbeef moved out.