Groundbreaking proposals for a new 60-bed motel alongside the A90 trunk road in Angus have been approved by planners.
The proposal for the new development near Stracathro services, just north of Brechin, was revealed by The Courier last year.
It has now been given the green light in principle under the delegated powers of council planning officials.
Agents behind plans for the scheme say work could start before the end of the year.
Property specialists McCrae and McCrae are determined to push on with the proposed development and are hopeful that the council-approved project will get under way late this year.
An application from landowner Pat Melville Evans to transform land was rubber-stamped in principle by Angus Council planning officers under delegated powers last June.
However, progress has stalled after the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) branded the existing foul drainage infrastructure at the site “unsustainable”, and outlined modifications to the plans that would have to be made in order for approval to be given.
Despite the setback, Rod McCrae of the Dunfermline agents acting on Mrs Melville Evans’ behalf, is hopeful the development will still go ahead.
He told The Courier: “We are progressing with the plans and the intention is to push on with the development in the not too distant future.
“We are getting funding in place with a view to get started later this year or the beginning of next year. Sepa have objected due to drainage concerns but we feel that can be overcome.”
Alasdair Milne, senior planning officer for Sepa said: “The existing foul drainage infrastructure at the site is unsustainable, with the drainage from the restaurant and garage being collected in sealed tanks and disposed off-site via tanker.”