The future of the former Strathmartine Hospital site may be sealed imminently, as a three-month decision-making “hold” has now expired.
Scottish ministers upheld plans to build 198 homes and convert the B-listed main building into 24 flats on September 17.
Developer Heathfield Ltd was told the Government would not grant consent in principle until a local authority planning obligation or binding agreement is in place.
The three-month window for this is now up, according to the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals.
Dundee City Council objected to the development near its border, on the grounds that the number of new homes was “excessive and not justifiable”.
The application was then “called in” by ministers, who heeded reporter Allison Coard’s advice that a smaller-scale development in the order of 40 houses would be “improbable”.
Firefighters have spent more than 50 hours fighting blazes at the former hospital in the last six years.
Ms Coard regards redevelopment as a means of preventing “future arson and vandalism”.
Fire-raisers triggered outbreaks at the old asylum 16 times since 2009, including three occasions this year.
The last major fire came in April, when firefighters tackled a blaze in the main building for more than 20 hours.
Police said they were treating the fire as suspicious but the culprits have not been traced.
It is understood Angus officials will bring forward a report on the saga to the January meeting of the authority’s development standards committee.