Over £350 million of sub-contracts have been awarded for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty project (AWPR/B-T), it has been announced.

The deals involve a range of works including drainage, plant and equipment hire and earthworks, the supply of steel reinforcement, structural steel, asphalt, concrete and fencing.

The scheme is due to open in winter 2017

Cabinet Secretary Keith Brown said the figure demonstrates the "significant sub-contract opportunities" available to companies as part of the AWPR/B-T's construction.

"These excellent opportunities provide companies of all sizes to be part of the longest roads construction project currently underway in the UK," he said.

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"Over £115 million has been awarded to sub-contractors based in Scotland, and with around an estimated £60 million sub-contracts still to advertised during the construction phase through the Public Contracts Scotland website, there are still many upcoming opportunities for Scottish-based companies."

As part of the contracts, Breedon Aggregates and Whitemountain have been awarded £55m to supply and lay asphalt across the project.

Mr Brown added: "These sub-contracts are just one example of how this £745 million investment in the north east is stimulating the local economy during the construction phase, with many more significant benefits for road users, businesses, communities and industry on the way.

"Over the next three decades, our investment in the project is expected to bring in an additional £6 billion to the north-east economy. It will also create around 14,000 new jobs. Already, it has created around 1,500 jobs for the construction industry, including on-the-job training for apprentices and local employment opportunities for long-term unemployed people."

(LM)