Plans to protect two areas from future flooding could soon go out to the public for feedback.
The flood protection schemes for Inverness and Fort William have been drawn up to prevent residents of Smithton, Culloden and Caol from the threat of losing their home.
On Wednesday, members of Highland Council’s planning committee will be asked to approve a public consultation on the schemes.
A report before councillors says the draft flood prevention schemes drawings and descriptions of operations are now sufficiently developed to allow formal consultation.
It states: “Once committee approval to commence formal consultation on the draft flood protection schemes is received, the design teams will prepare the formal documents, notices and adverts as required by the act.”
Smithton and Culloden, east of Inverness, has suffered from flooding over a number of years, from 1999 up to last year.
A number of small watercourses run off Culloden Moor towards the sea and pass through the heavily developed areas.
The protection scheme comprises of flood storage areas in Culloden Park and in Smithton Park.
There is also to be an up-sized culvert between Redburn and Ferntower Avenue, and the creation of a new open watercourse from the Railway Line to Tower Road.
Residents of Smithton were given the chance to view an early draft of the scheme earlier this year.
The event was well attended, and engineers and council officers used their feedback – which included concerns relating to the proximity of the pitches to the open watercourse in Smithton Park – to alter the plans.
Caol, north of Fort William – which is bounded by the River Lochy to the southeast and Loch Linnhe to the southwest – has flooding several times in recent decades, most recently in 2005.
Under the plans for the village, a mile-long flood defence consisting of a 3,937ft embankment and wave wall would be built along the shore of the loch. A half-mile wall would be built at the river.
About 300 properties at risk of flooding would be protected.
The consultations are expected to run next spring, before a report and cost estimates go back to committee.