The warrant, first lodged with the local authority in October, will see 31 buildings flattened to allow the Haudagain roundabout to go ahead.

Transport Scotland, which submitted the plans to demolish the two and three-storey homes, estimated the work will cost £1m.

The homes near the Haudagain – dubbed the Middlefield Triangle – are being flattened as part of Transport Scotland’s £30m plan to alleviate pressure at the notorious bottleneck.

A Transport Scotland spokesman told the Aberdeen Evening Express: “This is a key step forward in completing the statutory processes and work is expected to get under way next year, once these processes are successfully completed.”

A link road through Middlefield was identified as the best way of easing congestion around the well-used route in a 2008 government report.

Approximately 500 metres of new dual carriageway connecting the A90 at North Anderson Drive to the A96 Auchmill Road will be constructed in the project.

As well as reducing congestion and improving journey-time reliability, the project aims to improve road safety and provide new pedestrian and cycling routes throughout the area.

Aberdeen City Council had originally put forward four options for the community to consider, and more than 100 residents responded, before councillors reduced this to two options.

The remaining choices are retail and green space or retail, green space and 72 one-bedroom flats.

Councillor Yvonne Allan, convener of Aberdeen City Council’s communities housing and infrastructure committee, said: “There is no definitive timescale as we are working closely with remaining households to ensure successful relocation, but we anticipate moving forward early in 2018 with the first phase of work.”