Planning permission has been granted for another 60 homes at Slackbuie, on the west side of Inverness along with a nearby 150-seat restaurant.
Councillors yesterday approved the proposal from Tweed Estates and Kirkwood Homes.
A quarter of the homes will fall into the council’s “affordable” classification for subsidised purchases.
The development is planned for a nine-acre site near the fast evolving area’s Asda superstore on Sir Walter Scott Drive.
City councillor Jim Crawford questioned the scale of development, reminding principal planner Ken McCorquodale that the area had initially been zoned in the Highland wide local development plan for just 24 houses.
“We’re giving the wrong signals to developers,” he said.
The officer told councillor Crawford: “We have an up to date plan and I’m giving you the context.
“A development plan only puts forward policy and it’s a question then of planning balance and judgement as to whether you think that the policy at a particular time still holds true and you want to hold it absolutely to the letter of that policy, or is there a degree of latitude?”
Welcoming the south planning committee’s decision, Allan Rae of Kirkwood Homes said: “Great care and attention went into the proposals which represent our first development in the city.
“We look forward to delivering high quality homes as well a working with our partners New Land Assets (Tweed Estates) and Marstons to provide new employment opportunities and leisure facilities for the local community.”