Inverness Castle will be shrouded in scaffolding this summer as part of work to create a new viewing platform to attract more tourists.
A Highland Council spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that newly erected scaffolding on the North Tower will be there “until the end of the summer.”
Several city councillors expressed disappointment about the timing of the project, as the tourist season gets under in the Highland capital.
The £360,000 project is being undertaken by Laing Traditional Masonry and involves opening up the North Tower complex of the castle with two public viewing platforms, offering extensive views of the city and surrounding countryside.
Highland Council previously said that visitors would have a bird’s-eye view of the city from spring this year, but later conceded that the scheduled deadline was “no longer achievable”.
Further landscaping works and improvements to the footpath and road at Castle Wynd will take place in conjunction with the work on the castle.
Construction started yesterday on the footpath and preservation of the brickwork on the North Tower, and a spiral stairway to take people up to the platforms will be dropped in through the roof at a later stage.
Yesterday city centre councillor Janet Campbell said: “It is disappointing to see the castle vista blemished somewhat by scaffolding as we move into the tourist season. However, I understand that the need for additional stone work became evident to compliment the viewing platform, but do wish that the planning of such works could have been better timed.”
Councillor Donnie Kerr said: “It’s unfortunate that it will be scaffolded over the summer period, but these kind of works probably can’t be done so easily in the middle of winter time when temperatures for the mortar are too low.”
Councillor Thomas Prag was more positive about the work starting yesterday. He said: “It’s a real landmark that the work has started, as it’s the first step in bringing the castle back into proper public use.”
The platform is the first step in opening up the castle for public use with a new museum and art gallery a possible future for the historic building.
The castle currently houses the city’s sheriff court and also a number of offices within the north tower of the complex. The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) has offered a commitment to move out of the building if a suitable replacement is available – and work has started on finding a new multimillion-pound justice centre in the city.
An offer was recently withdrawn by SCTS for a site next to Burnett Road police station because certain conditions could not be met by the deal’s closing date.
