The public is being asked for their views on the suitability of five sites as the possible location for a new Highland Gallery and Museum - an inspirational 21st century cultural facility for Inverness and the Highlands.

Sites at Castle Street, Midmills and the Riverside or Stand Sections of the Northern Meeting Park were included in an initial public engagement exercise, and two further sites at Bridge Street and the Royal Mail Sorting Office have been added.

A public workshop will be held at the Town House, Inverness, at 6.30 pm on Wednesday June 25 to consider the concept and the five sites in more detail.

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People have until 5pm on Friday June 27 to make their views known.

The Highland Council's Inverness City Committee will then consider the options and recommend a preferred site to the Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee, which will then consider and approve a course of action.

Provost Bob Wynd, Chairman of The Highland Council's Inverness City Committee, said the ambitious project aimed to create a new building, which would showcase the best of Scotland's art, artefacts and specimens in the Highlands.

The engagement with the public will be one of the factors in determining the choice of location. At this stage, the public was being asked to consider the pros and cons of the proposed sites - not any specific design.

Once a preferred site was recommended, work would then begin on budget, business, design and marketing planning in order to make a Stage 1 Lottery application.

It was anticipated that this might be possible in October 2009. Following approval at Stage 1, a Stage 2 Lottery application, with final business plan and design, would be prepared and submitted, ideally by December 2010, with approvals and tendering decisions by mid-2011 and project completion by 2013.

(GK/JM)