Work on an ambitious "£2bn town" development is due to begin in Aberdeenshire.

The Chapelton of Elsick project, which is located south of Aberdeen, has a long-term aim of 8,000 homes as part of the development. There are also plans for a primary school, leisure and business facilities, Elsick Development Company (EDC) has said.

The site is a 2,000-acre stretch of farmland near Newtonhill in the city.

It is understood work will commence on the project this afternoon (2 October).

Last month, it was revealed that W M Donald had been named as the civil infrastructure works provider for the first phase of Scotland's largest planned town.

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The Aberdeenshire-based civil engineering construction firm was selected after a competitive and lengthy tender process, beating off a number of other local and national firms. A total of six companies were invited to tender for the £8m contract, which will include roads, drainage, services and landscaping to support the first stage of 255 homes in the first Chapelton neighbourhood, Cairnhill.

Cairnhill will be the first of seven neighbourhoods at Chapelton.

Following the announcement, William Donald, Managing Director of W M Donald, said: "This is a very exciting project for us to be involved in and we look forward to creating a number of jobs for local people.

"Being on board at the start of such a flagship development is great news for us and we look forward to starting work on the site as soon as possible."

(JP/CD)