Plans for an Aldi store in Macduff have been granted again despite a second anonymous last minute objector’s attempt to derail the proposal.
The discount retailer’s new supermarket on Duff Street could bring an estimated £3.27m investment to Macduff.
Meanwhile, the development is expected to create 35 jobs.
The application went before members of the Banff and Buchan area committee this morning.
LDRSTroup councillor Ross Cassie welcomed the employment opportunities it would provide and suggested it would bring visitors to the area from further afield.
Fraserburgh councillor Ann Bell praised the development and suggested the new shop would be a “big asset to Macduff”.
Banff and District councillor John Cox also stated that having a good offering and choice was important when trying to attract people to the area.
“Without this development the local area will die,” he said.
“Choice is what people want and I don’t think they currently have that.
“Without expanding the floor space we will be constrained and it will not help the local economy.”
The committee went on to unanimously approve the application.
The new supermarket will sit across the road from the Macduff Community and Sports Centre.
Macduff residents have been hugely supportive of the plans for the discount food store.
More than 100 eager shoppers attended a public consultation held in the town back in April.
Meanwhile, 145 people wrote to Aberdeenshire Council to show their support for the proposal.
The application went before the committee back in September but a last minute anonymous objector caused the decision to be delayed.
But after the meeting, Aberdeenshire Council called on retail experts to assess the impact Aldi would have on its rivals.
Roderick MacLean Associates backed the proposed store as they believed there was a “retail deficiency” in the area.
Plans for the new supermarket were initially approved in August last year.
However retail rival Tesco served Aberdeenshire Council with a judicial review earlier this year, challenging the decision.
Miffed residents planned to boycott the supermarket giant’s stores in protest against the move.
A public meeting was even held to allow council officials the chance to explain what had happened.
However, the Court of Session ruled in favour of Tesco and the plans were quashed.
But Aldi bosses submitted a revised proposal after including it in a masterplan for the area which also added space for 22 homes and a GP practice.
Councillors approved the new masterplan in June, paving the way for the new store.
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