Plans have been approved to build thousands of new homes in Perth and Kinross.

Housing developer Springfield Properties has been given the go ahead for its £1 billion Bertha Park development.

Proposals include building 3,000 new homes covering a 333-hectare site on the edge of Perth.

A detailed plan of the projects phase one, expected to be assessed by a council committee next month, is likely to begin in 2017 with 1,100 new homes.

Each property will be built to a high energy efficient standard with access to green space.

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Further plans include developing 25 hectares of employment land, a new primary and secondary school as well as shops, restaurants, medical, leisure and community facilities.

The plans for the secondary school are already underway with an anticipated completion for the 2018 academic year.

Overall, the development will be built over a 30-year period, creating more than 2,000 new jobs.

Springfield MD Innes Smith said: "This is a big step forward in a 30 year project and the result of 5 years of planning and design in partnerships with Perth and Kinross Council.

"We have set our sights on delivering an exceptional place for people to love and work and we are excited to be bringing Springfield’s award winning homes to Perth.

"We are on track to start building in 2017, initially creating around 450 new jobs and supporting many more."

(LM)