Plans have been submitted for a student accommodation block on the site of a former primary school in Lochaber.
It is hoped the 40-unit proposal would help to turn Fort William into a “university-type town”.
Cityheart Ltd, of Chester, is seeking consent for the 40-room facility in part of the grounds of the former Fort William RC Primary School.
The proposed development, which would face onto Fassifern Road and be used by students attending West Highland College UHI, would also include parking for seven vehicles.
Local councillor Bren Gormley welcomed the Cityheart proposal.
He said: “We’ve got a growing number of full-time students at West Highland College.
“I’m delighted we have seen this growth and it continues to grow.
“This is another step towards Fort William becoming a university-type town.”
He added that students frequently said they found it very difficult to find anywhere to stay in the area.
Mr Gormley said: “We are keen to ensure that the former school site and the Belford Hospital site, when the hospital moves to Blar Mhor, gets put to good use.
“It’s not very often that such a large space becomes available so close to the centre of town.
“And we would not want to compromise the rest of the site for whatever is going to happen there in the future.
“But there is certainly room for this corner of the site to be used for much-needed student accommodation.”
He added that it was close to both the college and the town making it an ideal location for this use.
The latest application follows the completion of a £2.2million 40-bed scheme of three-storey flats in Camanachd Crescent at An Aird in Fort William.
Cityheart has handed over the keys to the college so students will be able to move into the new accommodation next month.
And it is hoped the accommodation block on the old school site will be ready for occupation in August 2017.
The former school, also known as St Mary’s, opened in February 1932 and closed in August of last year.
Pupils transferred to Lochyside RC Primary, the new Gaelic primary school in Caol and Fort William’s new Lundavra Primary School.
All pupils now at the Lochyside school will move to the new RC primary on the joint campus in Caol that is due to open around mid-September.
