Plans for public art for Inverness flood scheme

Highland Council has produced a map showing the restrictions during the flood scheme construction work

Public art could be a feature of the £21m River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme in Inverness.

Construction for the first stage of the scheme starts this month and the full project should be completed by 2015.

It has been designed to protect about 800 homes and 200 businesses in the city centre.

Highland Council has estimated the costs of two options - one £740,000 and the other £125,000 - for public art along the banks of the River Ness.

Inverness Old Town Art (Iota) would lead the arts projects.

The most expensive of the two options includes a new seating area, festival, river trail, a schools project and a viewing platform that would allow people to "enjoy the full span of the River Ness", according to a report to Highland councillors.

Creative Scotland has offered to pay £305,000 of the cost of the £740,000 project.

Highland Council's City of Inverness Area Committee meeting next week will be asked to approve a £250,000 contribution. Grants would cover the rest of the cost.

The second option would see the creation of the river trail, new seating area and schools project.

Last month, the council released details on how traffic will be diverted during the first stage of constructing the flood alleviation scheme.

Some streets will temporarily become one way systems and others will have parking restrictions.

Affected areas will include Bank Street, Huntly Street and Friar's Street.

The work will include the building of walls on both sides of the river between Ness Bridge and Friar's Bridge.

Highland Council produced a map showing where the restrictions will apply.