Bosses at German supermarket giant Aldi have reaffirmed their commitment to bringing a new store to the north-east’s biggest town.
Delays in developing the controversial Kirkburn Mill site in Peterhead have rumbled on since the firm purchased the former textile mill in 2008.
Despite plans for a branch on the empty ground near Kirk Street, no construction has ever taken place and many regard it as an eyesore.
Now Aldi’s chief executive for Scotland, Matthew Barnes, has said the company is “in the final stages” of putting together a major planning application.
Mr Barnes said: “Should our planning application be successful, Aldi will look to begin the process of delivering our long-awaited store to the Peterhead community.”
Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has lobbied the German firm to bring forward its plans and said the news was encouraging.
Mr Stevenson said: “I am very pleased that Aldi have responded in these positive terms. This has been a long-running issue involving a prominent site at the entrance to the town-centre.
“We’ve just had the opening of Buchan House, which has consolidated council and other public services onto one town-centre site which was also very much in need of development.
“This brings a workforce of several hundred right to the edge of the town-centre which can only be good for local shops and services.”