Homes and retail plans approved for empty Inverness building

Highland councillors have approved proposals for the redevelopment of a vacant corner block in Inverness into a modern retail and residential building.The building on the corner of Academy Street and School Lane, currently occupied by the former Farmfoods store, will now be transformed into four small retail units at street level, and 19 one-bedroom flats and 18 two-beds on the upper floors.Under the plans, the flats will be allocated for mid-market rent by the Highland Housing Alliance and allocated for rent by Highland Council.The proposal, by Capital Developments Ltd, was previously knocked back for being too high at five storeys, and for using inappropriate materials such as red and yellow reconstituted stone instead of natural stone.The building is now four storeys, with the upper floor set back and heavily-glazed to break up the front aspect, and the finish will be natural stone in keeping with nearby buildings.