Inverness’s controversial West Link road has cleared another hurdle to its construction.
One of the two parties fighting the compulsory purchase orders (CPO) sought by the Highland Council has withdrawn its objections.
Representatives of Burt Bolton Holdings, which owns land off Dores Road, have written to the Scottish Government’s Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals to confirm they have reached agreement with the council over the CPOs for the road and footpaths.
It means that just one objection remains to the CPO, which the council need to obtain land for the new road.
Brother and sister Iain and Gail MacDonald, who operate F&R MacDonald’s garage on Dores Road, are still in negotiation with the council but it is believed that issues could soon be resolved.
If they also withdraw, there will be no need for a public inquiry and the project will go ahead.
Last week the council said that the tendering process for the road’s construction could start in the autumn if the CPOs were approved.
The main work for stage one, east of the canal, would then start in spring next year, with completion in late 2017.
The council would envisage a stage two completion in 2020 after relocating the golf course.
Highland Council has agreed a £55million package to progress the controversial Inverness West Link road and new sports venues to compensate for existing facilities that will be bulldozed to make way for the road.
A total of £43.4million has been allocated to the road project in the capital programme.
The total package for the road and associated sports facilities will be £55million.
In the letter to the DPEA on behalf of Burt Bolton Holdings, Ian Kelly, of agents Graham and Sibbald, said: “Following further positive negotiations with the council there has now been an exchange of correspondence between the council and ourselves which establishes a position that my clients have confirmed as being satisfactory to them.
“On that basis I am now authorised by my clients to withdraw the Burt Boulton Holdings objections to both the main CPO and to the secondary order. It would, therefore, not be my intention to have any further participation in the proposed inquiries for either order.”
Last night John West, a critic of the road project, said: “There is a suspicion that the council will pay whatever necessary to avoid a public inquiry.”
But Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said that the road would boost the Inverness and wider Highland economy.