Plans have been lodged by Highland Council for 18 affordable homes on land in the south of Inverness already earmarked for hundreds of properties.
The new housing, which would consist of 16 flats and two semi-detached houses, would be built close to the city’s Asda store at Slackbuie, on land south of Culduthel Smithy.
Councillors approved plans last month for an 82-home Barratt North Scotland Ltd development on the same block of land, near where a 60-house development has already been approved, and beside a field earmarked for another 80 new homes.
But this area was originally only zoned for 24 homes in the local development plan – not the 240 that could be built.
A Highland Council spokeswoman said yesterday that the latest plans will provide housing of affordable rent to help meet demand for it in Inverness.
Councillors and local residents have persistently raised concerns about the number of homes being built – and the pace of construction – at the Slackbuie site, as they fear a lack of amenities and pressure on schools.
Inverness South Community Council chairman Kevin Findlay said last night that the council’s plans for 18 new homes will be in addition to the 222 homes planned for the site.
He added: “The area is well overcrowded and there is no primary school – Lochardil Primary is capped and so is Holm. It’s putting added pressure on our schools and amenities.
“The problem is that the land there is zoned for commercial development or residential development, and the result is all of these extra houses. But there is no primary school. There will be a small primary school at Ness-Side but that has not even started.
“Each house only gives about £2,000 towards primary school education, and if there are 18 new homes then that’s only £36,000. That is only about one third of a classroom.”
A planning application for the 18 new homes was validated by the local authority’s planning department on April 28.
