Scottish Natural Heritage is well used to dealing with eagles and albatrosses but birdies of a different kind are now concerning managers in Inverness.
For the agency has raised fears that their multimillion-pound headquarters on the edge of the Highland capital could be under fire stray golf balls from a proposed new course nearby.
The building has a large frontage of glass and an atrium with a glass-paned roof – and there are fears they could get a hole in one.
Highland Council is proposing to build a £8.7million facility at Torvean, as part of plans to enhance sports provision in the west of the city.
The scheme, part of the West Link road project, will involve a new 18 hole course on land north of the A82 Inverness-Fort William road.
The site covers a number of fields between the trunk road and SNH’s headquarters at Great Glen House on Leachkin Road.
Great Glen House, which also houses the Crown Office and the Crofting Commission, will look onto the 12th hole when the golf course is completed.
But despite a 196ft buffer zone, managers at SNH fear that stray balls could damage the glass atrium.
In a statement on behalf of the buildings’ users, Graham Boyle, SNH’s property asset manager, said: “With the information provided it is our opinion that there remains a significant risk of golf ball damage to our corporate HQ and subsequent health and safety concerns.
“The property adjoins the 12th hole and while the hole lies below the level of our property and efforts have been made to create a 60m buffer at the turn point we believe that a good golfer playing a poor shot could hit the building which has a significant glass frontage.
“We would be wish additional measure be incorporated to mitigate against this risk. We would also wish assurance that during construction that the Great Glen Way remains open and unimpeded by construction traffic.”
The council lodged a planning application for the facility last month.
Councillor Thomas Prag, who chairs the council’s planning, development and infrastructure committee, said: “I would be delighted if I could play a shot like that.
“I am sure that the final design, which it is finalised, will take into account where balls are likely to go astray.”
It is not the first time that the glass atrium has caused problems for SNH.
Great Glen House cost £15million to build.
Shortly after it opened, it emerged that greenfinch and goldcrest were flying into the glass-fronted building because they couldn’t see the glass.