Plans for a new £150m mixed use development that will create a new town centre, with housing, retail, leisure and business facilities at Blackdog, five miles north of Aberdeen, have been lodged with Aberdeenshire Council.

If successful the development will create significant new jobs for local people including 1,200 during construction and 1,500 full time jobs longer term, once it is complete, while also generating £586m in salaries over a 25 year period and GVA of £1.56 Billion.

The developers - Ashfield Land and local housebuilder Kirkwood Homes - have been refining the proposals since last Autumn, following a wide ranging community consultation with local residents and community representatives which helped to shape the final plans.

Located to the east of the A90 trunk road and on the junction of the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, Blackdog occupies a prime gateway location on the ‘Energetica corridor’.

The site was allocated for future development in the 2012 Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan (LDP). Today’s application will deliver the ambitions of the Blackdog Masterplan that was approved by the Council in 2013 and called for a new town centre with business space and substantial additional housing.

Destined to transform Blackdog into a high quality lifestyle, leisure and ultimately global business location, the development will include 600 houses, offices, industrial accommodation, a regional food hall, supermarket, petrol station, hotel, cinema, shops and other leisure outlets and a park and ride facility.

Following feedback from the local community plans for a new primary school in Blackdog, which would serve as an important community hub, have been reintroduced.

Plans for 600 new homes, including 150 affordable homes, would accommodate around 2,100 new residents and generate around £1.5million in council tax every year.

Speaking on behalf of the Blackdog partners, Steven McGarva of Ashfield Land said: “Our plans for Blackdog will deliver substantial benefits for people living in Aberdeenshire and beyond.

“Its prime gateway location takes advantage of the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and will help to consolidate Aberdeenshire as one of the world’s major energy centres, complementing the Energetica Corridor strategy, while ensuring that key areas of diversification in food and drink, tourism and life science are also considered and catered for.

“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation process. We’ve listened and responded by implementing a number of changes to the configuration of the development which I’m confident will offer a wide range of opportunities for local people.”

Now the application is lodged with Aberdeenshire Council, the public can make formal representations on the proposals during the statutory consultation period.

Subject to planning permission being granted, the work will get underway in early 2017 and will be delivered in partnership with key stakeholders including Aberdeenshire Council and the local community.

Energetica Development Manager James Welsh said: “A huge amount of work has gone into the development of the Blackdog concept and proposals over a number of years since its first allocation in 2012 and we are pleased that plans have been submitted to take this forward.

“Blackdog is a key location within the Energetica corridor, right on the junction of the A90 and AWPR and we hope that this development will offer new high-quality space to live, visit, work and do business. We look forward to having the opportunity to comment further on the planning proposals in due course.”

North East Regional Director for the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), Ian Armstrong added: “The construction of the long awaited Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) is already transforming the landscape around Aberdeen and on completion in late 2017 it will provide a major boost to the regional economy. One of these is the scope this improved connectivity will offer developers, enabling them to bring forward innovative mixed use plans which will deliver long term economic benefits to the North East.

“A key goal for the region is to diversify its economic base and SCDI welcomes Ashfield Land and Kirkwood Homes Blackdog plans with their focus on affordable housing and a food hall to showcase the region’s rich larder”