The firm behind a £250 million Mearns housing proposal says it hopes to overcome a planning obstacle in the coming weeks.
Members of the Kincardine and Mearns area committee deferred the first part of the application on Tuesday to allow discussions to continue.
Family firm Carnegie Base Services had applied for permission in principle for 1,000 homes at its Newesk development in the former RAF Edzell, near Laurencekirk.
The development would include aprimary school, community hall and shops.
The firm was granted permission for the first 300 homes in April last year on the basis it would contribute to affordable housing and community facilities under a Section 75 planning agreement.
Planners have so far been unable to reach an agreement with the developer about the contribution and successfully persuaded councillors to defer the matter.
A spokesman for the firm said: “We hope to reach a compromise withAberdeenshire Council regarding thesection 75 agreement, having invested a great deal of time on conversations with them to date, and are thankful to the area committee for the additional time tocontinue those discussions.
“We conceived the masterplan forNewesk and Edzell Base to deliver much-needed business land and housing stock for south Aberdeenshire on one of the most accessible and recognisable brownfield sites in the region.
“Realising the potential the site has as a new community which balances residential amenity with new jobs is our long-term vision, but to achieve that the planning gain terms need to be reasonable and equitable.”
Aberdeenshire Council infrastructureservices director Stephen Archer had urged councillors to refuse the proposal.
Carnegie, however, asked electedmembers to see the continued potential for development at Newesk and give the firm the chance to continue dialogue with the planners by leaving the consent in place.