Councillors have unanimously approved proposals for a new golf course in Inverness, despite concerns from local residents.
The 18 hole course at Torvean will be built at a cost of £8.2million and is part of a parcel of new major sports projects being developed by the local authority as part of the West Link Road scheme.
It will replace the existing golf course, which span land on both sides of the A82 Inverness-Fort William road.
South planning committee chairman Councillor Jimmy Gray said the new development was “hugely welcome”.
He added: “It will be a significant improvement on the existing facilities and will be a major benefit to future Invernessians.”
Council leader Councillor Margaret Davidson said: “It looks like a really good application and there’s been a lot of good work gone in to get to this stage.”
The council received representation from six objectors, who raised concern about the loss of mature trees, increased traffic and the impact on the nearby long distance Great Glen Way footpath.
Wider representations against the West Link road have been ruled immaterial by council planners.
Fears were also raised by an SNH employee about stray golf balls from the 12th hole potentially hitting their Great Glen House headquarters.
The council has added extra planting near the tee to prevent stray balls from reaching the building.
The new 18 hole course will play a length of 6,588 yards, 804 yards longer than the current course.
The course has also been designed in order to avoid crossing any roads, unlike the existing course, with a new practice area and driving range built to the east of General Booth Road.
A new clubhouse will also be built as part of the plans near the current course’s 16th green will also be built.
Planning officer Simon Hindson told the committee that the course had been designed to an “international standard”.
He added that construction was to be phased so that the course would continue to be open for play during construction of the new facilities.
The plan is that relocation of the golf course to one site will release existing golf course land to the east of General Booth Road for a proposed new sports centre featuring a velodrome, indoor sprint track, indoor tennis and a gymnastics hall.