No inquiry into Stonehaven flood scheme
Plans for a flood protection scheme for Stonehaven will not go to a public inquiry.
Aberdeenshire Council said the Scottish government was "content" with the project and the processes taken to reach the final proposed design.
However, the local authority will hold a public hearing into its plans.
An inquiry can take evidence from a wider range of interested parties, while a hearing normally hears from a council and affected landowners.
Aberdeenshire Council hopes construction work can start on the scheme next year.
Stonehaven has been affected by severe flooding for many years.
Flood events led to the evacuation of homes several times between 1988 and 2012.