A new green space attractive to all Inverness residents and visitors is one of the key proposals accepted by councillors for Phase 2 of the city’s West Link project.
The park would be designed for recreation and fitness, and would be created on the space currently occupied by the fifth to eighth holes of Torvean golf course.
A new course is to be built to the west of the current one, ready for play next spring.
The councillors agreed that consultation should take place on how to use the rest of the course, principally holes 10-14, once Torvean has vacated the old one.
Plans to create a marina on holes 1-4 have been discarded on grounds of expense, and council officers continue to explore potential uses for this space.
West Link phase 2 plans include building a roundabout on the A82 west of the canal linking with a realigned General Booth Road to the north and a new swing bridge to the south.
Councillors approved proposals to add a fifth leg to the new roundabout to create access to the canal side and its associated activities. A temporary car park using the contractor’s construction compound was also suggested for this space.
Meanwhile, West Link project’s first phase came in for unqualified praise from local councillors.
Council leader Margaret Davidson said the success of the first phase was down to meticulous planning and consultation.
She said: “I was staggered at how little change they had to make. We need to do the same with phase 2. We need a workshop to talk through the potential on the other side of the bridge.”
Councillor Bill Boyd said: “Phase one has been a terrific success. We now have the opportunity to create a park and we need to focus our attention on this and get advice and ideas, and put time into planning this amazing resource properly.
“It will become a destination in itself. We may need to look at providing car parking and other resources round the park.”
He added: “A lot of my constituents were anxious about the West Link development, but not now.”
