A new Highland town near Inverness has laid the final brick of its 250th home, as it enters the second phase of development.
Moray Estates has been building Tornagrain near Inverness since 2018, with expansion plans in place over the next 50 years.
The new town is designed to help with demand for housing in the Highlands, where population growth and the increasing popularity of short-term lettings for tourists, has made it difficult for locals to buy homes.
The first 250 homes are now complete and the build of the next 500 - a mix of one and two-bedroom flats, two, three and four bedroom houses - is underway. Affordable housing will also make up 30% of the next phase of development.
To support the expansion, Moray Estates secured £2m in funding from Bank of Scotland that will be used to widen the road from the A96 to Tornagrain. Due to complete in October, the new road will allow improved access for residents.
As well as new homes, Tornagrain will also see the development of three primary schools, one secondary school, offices, libraries, churches and leisure facilities.
By 2060, the town should be home to more than 10,000 people - a similar in size to Nairn or Forres.
Andrew Howard, managing director of Moray Estates, said: “The emerging town already has a grocery store, pharmacy, nursery, allotments and other community amenities which will be shortly joined by a new café.
“We’re now really excited about this next phase of the building and look forward to welcoming more people to their new homes.”
The latest support from Bank of Scotland follows an initial £7m funding package that supported key infrastructure for the new town in 2018.
Michael Thomson, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “Moray Estates is one of our first customers so it’s hugely rewarding to be able to support the business continue to thrive in the housing sector.”
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