2023 is shaping up to be a big year for the changing face of Inverness.
Like every major town and city in Scotland, it is up against another challenging 12 months.
The cost of living crisis quickly following the disruption caused by the pandemic means a lot has changed in a very short space of time.
But there is still a lot in the pipeline for Inverness, and reasons to hope that some things will change for the better.
Here is a list of some of the major city developments that are worth keeping an eye on this year.
The national treatment centre
The £42m national treatment centre at Inverness Campus is due to open on April 3.
It will specialise in orthopaedic and ophthalmology healthcare and serve all of the Highlands.
All eye care services will be moved to the new site and it will also offer elective orthopaedic care such as basic hip and knee replacements, and surgery on feet, ankles and hands.
It will boast five operating theatres, 24 beds, 13 consultation rooms and an outpatient department.
The Inverness centre is one of 10 national treatment centres being opened by the Scottish Government.
Its opening has suffered delays – it was originally due to open in September 2021 – and it won’t be fully operational when it does open in April.
But when it does, it should play a big role in reducing waiting times.
Academy Street’s new look
The tail end of 2022 brought new plans for the future of Academy Street into the spotlight.
Changes that will see the number of vehicles on the street drastically reduced passed by a slim 12-10 margin at November’s Inverness city committee.
Since then, a lot has happened.
Several businesses claimed they had not been properly consulted about the changes and intimated their intention to lodge a legal challenge.
Amid growing criticism that the plan would cause gridlock on other busy Inverness roads, Highland Council issued a statement.
It said the other routes affected would be able to handle any redirected traffic and the city was not going to “grind to a halt”.
A P&J poll about the changes showed that 60% of people who responded back the changes.
A further consultation on the plans is pencilled in for 2023 and will carry on throughout the year.
As a result of this, more detailed proposals for Academy Street will be drafted by council officials.
Given the strength of public feeling on both sides, it’s a good bet that we will be hearing a lot more about it this year.
Eastgate food court
The Eastgate Shopping Centre will finally get the upgrade it has been crying out for.
Its food area has been bare since the departure of most of its well-known names during the pandemic.
But following a £2m investment, a new venture called Loch and Larder will open with a focus on quality local produce.
It had been due to open before Christmas, but “technical reasons” meant it had to be delayed.
It is now due to open in early 2023.
The Haven Centre
The £4m project for the Elsie Normington Foundation’s Haven Centre in Smithton has been years in the making.
It will be a multi-purpose facility for disabled children and young people comprising respite flats, an indoor and outdoor play centre, childcare facilities and a community café.
The project will create around 30 jobs once the centre is operational.
It is the former location of Culloden Court Care Home, which was destroyed by a fire in 2010, and has lain derelict ever since.
Elsie Normington realised the need for better services and facilities for people with disabilities in the north of Scotland after her son Andrew was diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy aged four.
In the years that followed, she campaigned for this support to be made more widely available.
Her son is now in his 30s and lives in his own home with 24/7 care.
The centre is due to open in the spring, a firm date will be confirmed in the near future.
All change at the Ironworks
While the others on this list have a more positive vibe, this one is not going to be so welcome.
The final gig at the Ironworks is on February 4.
After that, the process to turn the building at 122B Academy Street into a 155-bed hotel begins.
The chances of the Ironworks quickly moving into a new home are growing slimmer by the day, but supporters of the city’s music scene continue to have everything crossed that someone has something up their sleeve.
As for the hotel, Bricks Capital have high hopes for the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
Very little support was given to the proposed design of the new building and a lot of love was heaped on the Ironworks when the final decision was made by Highland councillors in August.
It may not be a popular move locally, but Bricks must believe the demand is there to take on such a costly project.
One way or another, this end of Academy Street is bound to look a whole lot different by the end of 2023.
Raigmore bus gate
Plans to link the Raigmore estate with the north’s flagship hospital have spent years in the pipeline.
A previous proposal in 2021 was dubbed “bonkers” and “torturous” by Highland Council’s planning committee.
But the council and NHS Highland worked together on a new plan that gathered more support.
The new version was approved by councillors on December 14 and work will now begin on the new link.
Once complete, it should provide a much-needed boost for public transport in the Highland capital.
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