Plans for Newesk, the £250million sustainable community proposed for land at Edzell on the border of South Aberdeenshire and Angus, have been lodged after a year-long master-planning process informed by local residents.

Aberdeenshire Council planning officials have now received the outline planning application and masterplan developed for Carnegie Base Services, the family business which owns and operates the former RAF Edzell airbase and surrounding land.

The base, which is the business focus of the proposal, has operated as a commercial site since 2000 and covers more than 300 acres of land to the west of the main A90 Aberdeen to Dundee trunk road.

Newesk, as it is proposed, would be created on the remaining 144 acres of land between the business base and the existing small community of Edzell Woods, delivering facilities including a new primary school, community hall, green space and local shops.

David Carnegie, a partner in Carnegie Base Services, says his family's vision is to deliver a strong, sustainable community bringing vital residential and business amenity which also complements and enhances the existing settlements of Edzell and Edzell Woods.

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"We worked closely with the community during our initial consultations on the proposals for Newesk and the opinions offered at the open sessions we held at the base and in Edzell have helped to inform the final masterplan," said Mr Carnegie.

"Along with our consultants, we have invested heavily in ensuring that the proposal we have lodged today marks the first step towards the development of a sustainable community which integrates into the environment and benefits the regions of Angus and Aberdeenshire as a whole.

"Newesk has the potential to bring much-needed employment throughout the construction phase, which would bring up to 1,000 jobs, and provide up to 1,000 high quality properties in a region which is one of the most sought-after destinations to live in the UK.

"There has been a serious shortfall of development land throughout both Aberdeenshire and Angus in the last decade, with demand in both local authority areas far outstripping supply – something which we can in part address with development of Newesk.

"Putting forward this formal planning application is a major step forward for us and we now look forward to seeing further support for the development of Newesk from planning officials and the community, who greeted the proposal so enthusiastically at the outset."

The 10 to 15-year vision for the new community aims to build on the already established planning permission for 250 houses and 300 acres of business land at the site, which was granted in 2010.

Edzell Base has been established during the last 10 years as an important business location in south Aberdeenshire, with clients in the oilfield services supply chain, food and fuel industries located at the site.

(GK)