A masterplan for a £150m mixed-use development in Aberdeenshire, complete with hotel and leisure facilities, was unanimously approved by councillors at the end of April.

Comprising of plans by Ashfield Land (for a cinema, 150-bedroom hotel and a food hall for use by farmers) and already approved plans by Kirkwood Homes for 600 new homes, 150 of which will be affordable, the development will be located within the Energetica Corridor running between Aberdeen and Peterhead.

Land at Blackdog was allocated for development – including 600 houses and 11 hectares of employment land – in the Aberdeenshire Local Development plan. Energetica has suggested that the plans will include 1,200 construction jobs over the life of the project and 1,500 net additional full time jobs in the longer term.

Ashfield’s section of the project was recommended for approval by Aberdeenshire Council planners, subject to conditions including covering the provision and maintenance of a Traveller transit site.

Ashfield Land developer Steven McGarva said: “Our aim is to bring a high-quality regional food hall to house independent local traders – it will be more Borough Market than a large House of Bruar type.”

After receiving its approval, the developers say they plan to submit their design proposals in the coming months, with the aim to start work on the site before the end of 2017.

Land director of Kirkwood Homes said the company wants to bring the next phase of residential development forward following completion of the AWPR link road to Blackdog.

Last year, I looked at how Marie Boulton, Aberdeen City Council’s deputy leader, suggested the plans could cause commuter towns to “die off”.

I still don’t believe this is the case, and that towns such as Ellon will continue to thrive. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.