The bypass route has caused major controversy

The Aberdeen International School is one of the casualties, as well as several homes along the proposed route through Milltimber.

One site is an ex-school which houses Fox Lane garden centre in Pitfodels, the other is Hazlehead's Grove Nursery.

The 46km multi-million pounds bypass has attracted significant opposition.

The Scottish Executive has pledged to compensate fully the school for the loss of its property and the need to rebuild elsewhere.

Further assessment

The details of the proposed new school sites have been discussed by Aberdeen City Council in private.

Council officials concede an arrangement would have to be made to find alternative arrangements for the garden centre.

Councillors have agreed that further work should be carried out to assess the cost and other implications of releasing one or other of these sites.

The bypass plans for Aberdeen have caused controversy

Officials have been instructed to report back to councillors in September.

Gordon Henderson, who runs Fox Lane garden centre, only discovered the plans when BBC Scotland revealed the story.

He said: "I have no objections to the bypass if it's for the good of the city, and if Fox Lane has to move that's fine, but it would just be nice to be approached first, a wee bit of courtesy."

The preferred route for the Aberdeen bypass will mean the demolition of the 342-pupil international school and 19 homes.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott said the route minimised the impact on the area it went through.

About �50m has been estimated for the compulsory purchase of property including the school, homes and farmland.