Plans to locate Scotland’s first purpose-built justice centre in Inverness are on the brink of being approved by councillors.
Local authority officials have recommended that planning committee members give their support to the £23million “landmark” development in the Longman area.
The scheme, if approved on Tuesday, will eventually lead to Inverness Castle being opened up to the public as a major new tourist attraction for the region.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) want to vacate the castle and move to the new facility off Longman Road, on the site of a former bus depot and close to Burnett Road police station.
The “V-shaped” complex – hailed as the first of its kind and a model for the rest of the country – will include six court rooms and provide a base for a wide range of organisation involved in criminal justice.
There will be specialist facilities to support victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, sexual violence and child abuse, as well as providing a base for pioneering efforts to tackle the cycle of reoffending.
If granted planning permission next week, the new facility would expected to be opened by 2019, and would pave the way for High Court cases to return to the Highlands for the first time since 2013.
The proposals involve the demolition of the former bus depot and construction of the courts, office space and a cafe, as well as 83 parking spaces and 68 bike spaces, two reconfigured access routes to Longman Road and a secure link to Burnett Road.
In a report to planning committee members, council officials said: “The site sits on a gateway to the city and the proposal delivers a design befitting the prominent location, while reflecting the character of the surrounding area.”
An SCTS spokesman said: “The Inverness justice centre is an exciting development with its unique vision is to bring together justice organisations to improve the delivery of justice within a purpose-built fully integrated facility.”