The Highland Investment Plan is an ambitious £2.1 billion 20-year programme of capital investment by the Highland Council to deliver improvements to local infrastructure and services.

This includes £750 million of investment over the next five years, which will be financed by capital investment and an annual ring-fenced allocation of 2% Council Tax.

A major element of the Highland Investment Plan is the creation of community hubs, known as Points of Delivery (PoDs), which will lead to a move towards a single public sector estate, creating more integrated community facilities and services incorporating schools, offices, depots and public sector partners.

The first projects have been identified and preferred main contractors have been appointed to allow them be part of the consultation, design and pre-planning stages.

These are:

• Beauly Primary PoD – Morgan Sindall
• Charleston Academy PoD – Morgan Sindall
• Dingwall Primary PoD including St Clements School – Robertson Group
• Fortrose Academy PoD – Morrison Construction
• Inverness High School PoD – Ogilvie Construction
• Thurso PoD – Morrison Construction.
• Tornagrain Primary PoD – Robertson Group

The preferred main contractors join HIP project teams which include architects NORR, Holmes Miller and the in-house Highland Council Design & Construction team, along with consultants from a wide range of disciplines including Currie & Brown, Doig & Smith, Turner & Townsend, DSSR, Goodson Associates, Brown & Wallace, Atkins Realis, Fairhurst, Rybka, Harley Haddow and Etive.