A planning application to build a new town with a population of 10,000 between Inverness and Nairn was lodged yesterday.
The envisaged community at Tornagrain would embrace almost 5000 homes, more than 120 acres of parks and open spaces, five schools, libraries, churches, healthcare facilities and community halls.
Work is scheduled to begin in four years and would take 35 years to complete with a total projected cost of £1.3bn. The project was an integral part of Highland Council's development plan unveiled a year ago which was seeking to accommodate 30,000 more people east of Inverness, at a time when the Highland economy looked set to expand.
Tornagrain's developers Moray Estates are proceeding to the planning stage, and have appointed leading US master planner Andres Duany to design the new town.
Andrew Howard, managing director of Moray Estates, said yesterday: "We aim to create a very special place."
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