Amended plans for stage two of the Inverness West Link will go before Highland councillors for final approval next week.
In a report by the council’s south area planning manager, more detail is given on changes to the Torvean section of the link.
The amendments were agreed by Inverness councillors in June and are now being put forward for full planning permission.
The new Torvean roundabout will now have a fifth-arm which runs down to the canal, and includes car parking, which will be used as a construction compound during the works.
There will also be tweaks to the accesses to the canal towpath on both sides, and access will be provided for future land use to holes 5-8 of the golf course.
General Booth Road will be raised by 1.5m all the way along to avoid a potential 1 in 200 year flooding event.
The new swing bridge no longer mirrors the Tomnahurich swing bridge and is described as ‘more modern’ and in contrast to the existing bridge.
Canal-side, there will be four new pontoons, a wharf and a jetty to both the north and south side of the swing bridge.
The report also recommends that provision of public art in the scheme, due to the location at a ‘key city gateway.’
The report says stage 2 work is likely to start in spring next year following the completion of the reconfigured golf course, and is due to be completed by the end of 2020.
The report concludes that the amendments are ‘positive ones that will facilitate the delivery of development in the area and allow for the completion of the last section of the southern distributor road.’
It recommends that councillor grant planning permission, subject to a detailed list of planning permission.
