The Highland Council has said the first phase of construction of the River Ness flood defences is to start next week.

Work will commence on the section between Ness Bridge and Friars Bridge on Monday 19 August.

The works will be carried out by Morgan Sindall after they were recently awarded the £8.5m contract for the 18-month phase period.

Phase 2, which will be from Friars Bridge to the harbour, will start in the new year with an estimated completion date for the entire scheme of Spring 2015.

The flood defences will help to protect 800 homes and 200 businesses in the city centre and will also feature a public arts programme to complement the streetscape enhancements.

The local authority has said careful consideration has been given to the works in order to minimise the disruption to locals, especially throughout the summer tourist season and in the run up to Christmas.

Bank Street and Huntly Street, from Greig Street to Young Street will be fully open from the last shopping weekend in November throughout the whole of December. Bank Street will also remain open during the second phase of resurfacing of the Kessock Bridge from February to July 2014.

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Works will progress in Huntly Street from late August in sections between side roads with access maintained for pedestrians, businesses, residents and emergency services. Although road closures are unavoidable, the Council has said these will be kept to a minimum, adding that all businesses in Bank Street and Huntly Street remain open for business as usual.

Work will begin in Douglas Row in September and continue until the end of February 2014. This will involve the installation of a pump station, drainage, piling, wall construction and streetscaping, with the site being closed for a two-week period over Christmas.

The flood defences consist of low height natural stone clad walls with natural stone coping founded on steel sheet piles - wall heights have been kept to the absolute minimum and will have a railing above where necessary for safety.

Elsewhere, Bank Street and Huntly Street will be streetscaped using high quality Caithness flag and granite kerbs and sett paving materials as used elsewhere in the city centre.

A new surface water drainage system and streetlighting provision will also be incorporated and the design of the wall includes special requirements at the locations of existing trees, which are to be preserved. Additional trees will be planted once the works are complete to further enhance the streetscape in both Huntly Street and Bank Street.

Neil Duncan, Area Director of Morgan Sindall, said: "We're delighted to be involved in this critical project for Inverness and are committed to minimising the disruption to people's lives as much as possible.

"Across all of our sites, we do our utmost to engage with the local community and keep them up to date with our progress, while being sensitive to their concerns and questions, and our work on the River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme will be no different."

(JP/CD)