Fears of a declining population in the Highlands were dispelled as census data shows 20,000 more people moved into the region than left.
Highland Council’s research officer, Cameron Thomas, said latest figures showed 60,000 people left the Highlands between 2001 and 2011 but 80,000 moved in.
He said: “Young people tend to migrate from remote areas to Inverness or further south. They do create a vacuum and that’s filled with people from outwith the Highlands. It’s not all people of retirement age, it’s also people of pre-retirement age.”
Highland Council’s director of planning, Stuart Black, said: “The population of the Highlands is the second fastest growing in Scotland overall. It is just slightly behind Aberdeenshire.”
The overall population increased from 208,900 in 2001 to 232,100 in 2011. All major settlements across the region reported population growth over the 10 years, except Wick which recorded a 2% drop.
Inverness grew by 18% overall and some sections of the city exhibited enormous population growth, such as the Inverness South ward which went up by 8,136 – 115%.
Other areas in the city declined, such as the Inverness Millburn ward, which dropped by 1.1%. Nairn was up 15%, while the Aviemore population increased by 36% and Muir of Ord grew by 23.7%.
Depute leader of the council, David Alston, said: “Ten years ago we had real concerns that we might be facing a declining population in the Highlands.
“That’s not the case and that’s been because of the movement of people and the welcoming of new Highlanders.”
Mr Thomas added that “remoteness is not a barrier to growth” as Duirinish, on Skye, showed modest growth despite being much more remote than Dunvegan, which recorded a decline.
East Sutherland and Edderton councillor Graham Philips called on the council to invest heavily in fragile remote areas.
He said: “Fragile areas are not being cared for by current policy. Unless we make it council policy to invest disproportionately in remote and rural areas, it will inadvertently become council policy to let these areas decline further.”
Inverness Millburn councillor Jimmy Gray said he had “very strong reservations” about that proposal.