The developers behind a new town near Inverness are applying for permission to lay a major new gas pipeline to serve hundreds of homes.
The new pipe would run from the site at Tornagrain west towards the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen road.
The pipeline would act as an extension of the existing gas supply in the area and has been designed to eventually serve 880 properties at the new town.
Work got underway on the first phase of the Tornagrain new town last year.
It is ultimately expected to house up to 10,000 people and be around the same size as nearby Nairn.
The new gas supply would from the village across farmland owned by Tornagrain developer Moray Estates.
The company has submitted a screening request to Highland Council, which acts a precursor to a full planning application.
Andrew Howard, managing director of Moray Estates, said that disruption caused by the laying of the pipeline would be kept to a minimum.
He said: “We have submitted a screening request to the Highland Council for an extension to the existing gas pipeline to serve the new town under construction at Tornagrain.
“The new extension has been designed to serve 880 properties and will be installed across farmland belonging to Moray Estates so disruption will be minimal and there will be no disruption to traffic, roads or existing users of the gas network.
“The new pipeline is all part of the work currently underway on the first phase of the new town which will provide 200 houses and flats, allotments, tennis courts, a cafe and retail opportunities.
“The first properties will be ready to move into in spring 2017.”
The new town will sit south of the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen road between the Highland capital and Nairn.
Work started on the development in August last year, although the plans had been in gestation for more than a decade before construction began.
