Community councillors have criticised the approval of a new housing development on the Black Isle.
A Highland Council planning committee gave permission to plans for 50 houses at Greenside Farm in Rosemarkie.
The decision was taken, despite 267 objections being made to the scheme, including from Fortrose and Rosemarkie Community Council, which expressed its disappointment at the unanimous backing from councillors.
Concerns mostly focused on the impact on roads and other infrastructure.
Critics also warned that the combined impact with previously consented housing schemes were not sufficiently taken into consideration.
Community council chairwoman, Sarah Atkin, said: “Genuine local concerns over infrastructure pressures as a result of overdevelopment in this corner of the Black Isle seem to have fallen on deaf ears”
“The suitability of the site for this density of housing, in a field that frequently floods, has, in our opinion not been given enough thought.
“Also, the lost opportunity to deliver housing based upon the longer-term need of our area, rather than housing as a developer-led commercial opportunity only adds to our frustration.”
Many residents also voiced fears about the impact on traffic on Fortrose High Street, which sits between Rosemarkie and the A9.
Council planners responded assessments had been carried out which showed the impact of the new houses would be manageable.
But the community council is worried about the consequences of the development when combined with the Ness Gap site between Fortrose and Rosemarkie which is being developed.
Ms Atkin added: “This is not nimbyism. It’s about proportionality and a community’s ability to adapt and plan in a sustainable way. Regardless of the aesthetic merits of this scheme, to have judged it without reference to the wider context is short sighted and wrong.”
The application was sanctioned by Highland Council’s north planning applications committee.
Chairwoman, Cllr Isobel McCallum sits as a Black Isle member, and stated: “This is a high quality development and a lot of time has been taken by both planners and the applicant to get it to this stage.”
She acknowledged there were “issues” around traffic, but said she was “satisfied” that surveys had shown the impact to be within acceptable limits.
She also urged drivers to join the A9 at Tore Roundabout, to ease pressure on the Munlochy junction.
