A COMPANY set up to deliver 3,100 homes at a new community west of Aberdeen has this week fallen into administration.

The impact of the downturn in the oil and gas sector, which took root in 2015, was cited, alongside the more recent disruption brought by the pandemic, as administrators Tom MacLennan, Iain Fraser and Chad Griffin at FRP Advisory were called in by Countesswells Development Limited (CDL).

The company was a subsidiary of Stewart Milne Group. Around 900 affordable and private homes, as well as several commercial properties and communities, have so far been built at Countesswells by a range of companies.

READ MORE: CDL had received a guarantee from the Treasury in 2015 that allowed it to secure funding to invest upfront in the infrastructure needed for the project.

Omega shares tumble on expiry of major Government contract

The Herald: Omega Diagnostics is stepping up efforts to secure commercial contracts to absorb manufacturing capacity meant for the DHSCOmega Diagnostics is stepping up efforts to secure commercial contracts to absorb manufacturing capacity meant for the DHSC

SHARES in Omega Diagnostics lost more than a quarter of their value yesterday after the company confirmed that a highly lucrative contract to make hundreds of millions of Covid tests for the UK Government has expired.

READ MORE: Chief executive Colin King said the news was “clearly extremely disappointing” but added there were “plenty of positives” in the company’s core business. 

Lidl unveils over 50 potential new Scottish sites: Full list

The Herald: The move comes as the grocer published its accounts for the year to end of February at Companies House, showing how it benefitted during the pandemic from its position as an “essential” retailer.The move comes as the grocer published its accounts for the year to end of February at Companies House, showing how it benefitted during the pandemic from its position as an “essential” retailer.

DISCOUNT supermarket Lidl has unveiled plans for 58 new sites in Scotland as part of a push to create 4,000 jobs across the UK including hundreds north of the Border over the next three years.

READ MORE: Executives said they expect to reach the target of having 1,000 stores by 2023 and set a new ambition for 1,100 sites by 2025.

Optician chain sets sights on expansion

The Herald: Urquhart Opticians: Peter Telfer, Neil Gray, Linda Dempsey and Alistair DuffUrquhart Opticians: Peter Telfer, Neil Gray, Linda Dempsey and Alistair Duff

A CHAIN of opticians founded in the Ayrshire village of Dreghorn in 1916 has flagged its appetite for further expansion, after adding three practices to its existing five through a six-figure acquisition.

READ MORE: However, Urquhart Opticians has added that further expansion will “also be based on culture and values”, and declared: “This will always be more important to Urquhart’s than size.”

North Sea gas firm makes ‘important step forward’ in exploration campaign

The Herald: Deltic Energy chief operating officer Andrew Nunn Picture: Deltic EnergyDeltic Energy chief operating officer Andrew Nunn Picture: Deltic Energy

DETLIC Energy has made what it described as an important step forward as the company eyes big exploration prospects in the area with an industry heavyweight.

READ MORE: Deltic said it has completed gathering seismic survey data covering a “highly prospective” area on which it thinks there could be big finds to be made.

Insight, opinion, analysis

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Brian Donnelly: Scottish exporters take French blockades row to Johnson

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