Councillors are being urged to reject controversial plans to build 400 homes, a supermarket, petrol station and community facilities on the outskirts of Stonehaven.
Stewart Milne Homes wants to build the scheme on an 84-acre site to the north of the town, at Mains of Cowie.
The Kincardine and Mearns area committee previously mooted the scheme for inclusion in the emerging 2016 local development plan, but it was excluded by the infrastructure services committee.
And despite answering the community’s repeated calls for a major supermarket in the town, scores of residents raised their concerns about the plans during a heated pre-determination meeting last month.
Objectors claimed the mass of new homes could hamper the work done so far to protect the town from future flooding, while also stretching schools and facilities to the max.
However, the developers insisted they had thoroughly researched the “evolution” of the town, and that their proposals would compliment the area and be of benefit to the community.
On Tuesday, the Kincardine and Mearns area committee will weigh up the planning officers’ concerns with the representations made at last month’s meeting.
Due to the size of the application, a final decision will be taken by full council next month.
But in his report to the committee, director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer raises concerns that the developer has “underestimated” the impact the plans on the “vitality and viability” of the town centre.
Mr Archer and the planning team accept the proposed retail element of the scheme was “not without merit”, and would go some way to keeping shoppers in Stonehaven.
However, he adds the proposals should not be supported as they go against policy and have not been including in the local development plan.
He states: “The proposal would deliver a supermarket along with associated employment opportunities. The supermarket is considered to address leakage from the town and could reduce the need to travel.
“We do not agree that the additional housing at this point would be acceptable outside the development plan.
“We do not consider that the provision of a supermarket is justification for providing an additional 400 houses outside the development plan process.”