Campaigners against a controversial 16-home project, yards from the site of the Battle of Culloden, have made a last-minute plea to the landowner not to sell the property to a housing developer.
A protest group has urged Inverness businessman David Sutherland, former owner of Tulloch Homes, to donate the property, Viewhill Farm, to the National Trust for Scotland, who own the site.
The Stop Development at Culloden Group claims that war graves from the 1746 battle, where Bonnie Prince Charlie’s troops were defeated by Government soldiers, may sit under the Viewhill site.
The proposed development at Balloch was subject to a global outcry when Inverness Properties, owned by Mr Sutherland, was given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government in 2014.
Campaigners believed Mr Sutherland had decided not to proceed with the scheme, given the controversy.
But the development is back on track after it emerged Viewhill Farm has been sold to Aberdeen-based Kirkwood Homes, who have submitted planning applications to proceed with the original plans.
George Kempik, founder of the campaign group, urged Mr Sutherland to halt the process and donate the land to the NTS, so “the historic site” can be protected.
He added: “If he is not willing to donate the property to NTS, we are keen to spearhead a fundraising campaign to buy it off him at market value.
“There is a global outcry against these proposals, so we would be able to attract worldwide financial support. There is a lot of interest in this from fans of Outlander, including from the author [Diana Gabaldon].”
He added: “We continue to be totally opposed to this development which sits just 400 metres from the Culloden Battlefield Enclosure and is where the last pitched battle on British soil took place.
“It had been our hope that the landowner would take into account the designated national and international importance of this small, important piece of Culloden Battlefield.
“We are very concerned that this land will disappear under houses and pavements creating an irreparable scar on Culloden Moor and which will ultimately disrespect those who died and lie buried under its unforgiving moorland.”
A spokesman for Mr Sutherland said he was not willing to discuss the matter any further and added: “The site is certainly not on the edge of the battlefield and, in fact, the complete homes cannot be seen from the battlefield.”
A spokesman for Kirkwood Homes confirmed they had submitted two planning applications to Highland Council regarding the proposed development.
