The Highland Capital has been nominated for a Carbuncle Award for its "monstrous" 1960s architecture and planning decisions which have led to suburban sprawl.

Among the buildings deemed most offensive by the architecture awards team are the former offices of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which has since been turned into luxury flats, and the adjacent Crofters Commission building, which overlooks Bridge Street.

Author Bill Bryson famously described them as "two sensationally ugly modern office buildings that blot the town centre beyond any hope of redemption" in his book, "Notes from a Small Island".

The awards are run by architecture magazine Urban Realm and were set up in 2000 to provoke debate about the quality of development in Scotland's towns and cities.

"Inverness is an interesting example," said a spokesman for the awards. "It has been one of the fastest growing cities in Europe, with some wealth compared to other candidates, but there is some concern this investment wasn't being channelled properly and Inverness wasn't seeing the longer term benefits you would expect, particularly looking at suburban expansion. That is why Inverness is in the running at this stage."

But Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, MP Danny Alexander said: "Whoever put Inverness on this list has clearly never been here.

"One or two poorly designed buildings on the riverside cannot change the fact that the view up the River Ness towards the castle is rightly famous.

"People are choosing to move to Inverness from across the country because of our quality of life.

"Of course much can be done to continue improving the city centre, but if people's choices of where to live are any indication then this misguided criticism is not widely shared."

Inverness is not alone in suffering eyesores from the 1960s.

Deputy provost Alex Graham was appalled by the nomination. "Inverness is an attractive city with tremendous charm," he said. "The city has continued to grow, even during the recession, because people regard it as a great place to live and work. Like other places, Inverness has inherited some unfortunate pieces of architecture from the 1960s - especially Upper Bridge Street - but sadly we have to live with those, even though many residents want them torn down."

He also believes Inverness is being targeted unfairly. "On their website, the nominations for Inverness were made anonymously by one person," he continued. "This person criticised the Longman Industrial Estate and that is being used to besmirch the reputation of the city. In previous years, new towns or central belt towns blighted by economic decay were in the firing line. That has worn thin so they have turned their attention elsewhere, and Inverness is the target even though the city doesn't deserve this treatment."

A spokesman for the Carbuncle Awards admitted its own team had nominated Inverness.

He added nominations were still being gathered and a shortlist would be created soon. The judging panel, made up of architects and designers, will then visit the shortlisted cities.

The winner of the unwanted award - won by Glenrothes last year and Cumbernauld on two occasions before that - will be announced in June. Up until now, the awards have been open to Scottish towns and cities only, but UK-wide nominees will be considered this year.

People still have time to make a nomination by visiting www.thecarbuncles.co.uk

h.paterson@inverness-courier.co.uk

* Does Inverness deserve its nomination as an architectural "carbuncle"? Go to 'The Big Vote' to have your say.

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