Work has started on a major new road route in Inverness that will be the catalyst for building thousands of new homes in the south west of the city.
The first phase of the West Link, a 1.4-mile stretch connecting Dores Road to the A82 Glenurquhart Road, was marked by a turf cutting ceremony at Highland Rugby Club yesterday. Planning approval for the project was given about two years ago but discussions have been ongoing for years.
By 2020, people should be able to travel from the so-called southern distributor road to the A82 via a new bridge over the River Ness, avoiding the city centre.
The new road will eventually link the A82 Fort William road to the A9 Perth route and A96 Aberdeen road, with a swing bridge over the Caledonian Canal and a low-level bridge over the River Ness.
And yesterday Highland Council’s leader Margaret Davidson said the route would enable the building of about 2,500 homes on nearby land, at least a quarter of which will be classed as affordable.
Ms Davidson said: “The biggest benefit of this road is opening up housing land over that river. It improves connectivity but gives licence to get on with another batch of housing which Inverness is desperate for.
“This is just a part of the city deal and the part we have invested in, but it’s a catalyst for so much more.”
The overall cost of the West Link is £43.5million and the first stage of is the biggest and will cost about £22.5million.
Yesterday’s ceremony also marked the beginning of a £4.1million plan to upgrade the adjacent Highland Rugby Club, as part of wider development in the area.
Torvean Golf Course will also be redevelopedat a cost of £8.2million in time for stage two of the West Link, which will coincide with the move of the golf club to new facilities in 2019.
Council chiefs, local members and representatives from the rugby club, as well as pupils from Holm and Kinmylies primary schools on either side of the River Ness, were apart of yesterday’s celebrations.
Highland RFC president Geoff Begg said: “Today is a massive step for the club, particularly with the recent success we have had as a club with the first XV now up to the national league. We will have facilities here that will match anything in Scotland. We will have a clubhouse for 120 people, a 4G all -weather pitch which will be vital in the winter as we won’t have to postpone training. There will also be a weights room and physio room as well.”
