Kirkwood Homes has submitted plans for the first phase of a huge Mearns development.
The Sauchen-based housing developer wants to build 310 family homes at Conveth Mains, Laurencekirk.
The application to Aberdeenshire Council following four years of community consultation represents the first phase of development at the 278-acre site.
Conveth Mains was allocated (as M1) in the Local Development Plan in 2012 for a mixed use development, including 885 homes and 27 hectares of employment land.
The draft plan has been out to consultation in various forms since the process to develop it began in January 2008 and includes many of the development aspirations of communities, developers and individuals.
It sets out ambitious long-term and site-specific visions for the area, and will provide a practical framework within which the outcome of planning applications can be decided with a degree of certainty and efficiency.
A development framework and master plan was unanimously approved for Conveth Mains by Aberdeenshire Council’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee at the end of last year,
Allan Rae, land director at Kirkwood Homes Ltd, said: “After over four years of consultation with the local community and other stakeholders, Kirkwood Homes are pleased to have finally submitted an application for the first phase of development at Conveth Mains.
“A substantial amount of work and careful consideration has gone into producing the proposals.
“We firmly believe that the proposal not only fully conforms with the principles of both the development framework and master plan that was agreed for the site by Aberdeenshire Council last year, but will, importantly, kick-start the long-term sustainable and planned expansion of the town.
“It has been important to Kirkwood Homes from the outset to ensure that the local community and all stakeholders had a real opportunity to input and importantly shape the future expansion of their town via the Conveth Mains site.
“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to one again thank all those parties for their input, and we look forward to continuing to work in tandem with the community as the application progresses.”
Proposals suggest most of the residential development will be to the west of the railway line.
There are a number of planned developments around Laurencekirk that will see the town develop further.