P1 Solutions has won a new £580,000 contract to build the second phase of Inshes District Park in Inverness.

The Edinburgh-based company will begin building a new entrance plaza within a 6.3ha site set in rising ground between Stevenson Road and Inshes Road. Construction will begin in the New Year and works are scheduled to take 18 weeks to complte.

The first phase of Stevenson Road was completed in 2012 and forms an important green open space in a fast developing area of the city regularly used by the local community.

Phase 3, the largest phase of the park, is a 14.4ha site that rises steeply from Inshes Road towards the north western boundary of Milton of Leys. This final phase is expected to proceed as developer contributions from adjacent housing developments accrue. A separate planting and landscaping contract will follow on from the works and is expected to take place in the planting season of 2018/19.

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Inverness South Councillors Carolyn Caddick, Ken Gowans, Andrew Jarvie and Duncan Macpherson said: "This new investment in Inshes Park Phase 2 is positive for the area and is being funded entirely by developer contributions collected over the past number of years as well as active travel funding from  SUSTRANS.

"The project will provide a good quality surface and safe route for walkers and cyclists to travel through the area."

Thomas Prag, Chair of the Inshes Community Association said: "We're pleased to see the Council push on with this, so it's great to see 'shovels in the ground' – now we can get on with the serious business of raising funds to kit out the big ticket items like a wheel park."

(LM)