Work is due to start on a £23million justice centre in Inverness by the end of the year.
Details of the new centre, accommodating a new sheriff court for the city, were announced this morning.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service have said they are aiming to have the new facility open for business by summer 2018.
The move will free up Inverness Castle for future use as a tourist attraction, widely expected to be a new home for the city’s museum and art gallery.
The justice centre is being planned for land close to Burnett Road police station, formerly owned by the council and a bakery.
Progress is subject to the courts service gaining planning permission and
The north’s Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle said: “I am grateful to the Scottish Government for choosing and funding Inverness Justice Centre. It is deserved recognition of the efforts of everyone involved in the delivery of justice in the city.
“We have an exciting opportunity to create a pioneering, state-of-the-art justice centre, which will house justice partners and third sector organisations in the same building.
“It will deliver a range of services for offenders, providing the environment for problem solving approaches to help reduce re-offending, and offer specialist facilities, support and advice for victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, sexual violence and child abuse.”
Tourism minister, and co-chairman of the Inverness Castle working group, Fergus Ewing said: “The plan to create a new Justice Centre in Inverness – meaning the relocation of the current court service from Inverness Castle – presents us with the opportunity to develop a world-class tourism attraction.
“Tourism is not just a key part of the local economy but a key driver of growth across Scotland and I am very keen that the Castle finds a new life that benefits the Highlands and Scotland as a whole.
“As confirmed by a recent public consultation and meetings I have held with local businesses, there is strong support for such an attraction and as construction commences on the new Justice Centre we will be working equally hard to develop the Castle’s huge potential to attract and engage visitors from all over the world.”
Eric McQueen, chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service added: “The new Inverness Justice Centre will set the standards for delivering justice in Scotland. We intend to use the skills and expertise available in the Highlands to create a design and build team to deliver this major development for Inverness.
“We have held meetings with all potential stakeholders and the hard work starts now to bring together everyone’s requirements into a final design. It is a very exciting opportunity and will require a great deal of commitment from everyone involved in the project.
Councillor Helen Carmichael, Provost of Inverness said: “This is an exciting and long awaited day for Inverness. The new Justice Centre will not only provide a fabulous new purpose built facility, but freeing up the castle will greatly enhance the tourism opportunities for the city and wider Highlands.
“This heralds the start of a really bright future for the city.”