Road remains closed as works to make safe a damaged building in Merkinch continue

Following damage by a vehicle to a building on the corner of Grant Street and Pumpgate Street in the Merkinch area of Inverness, the site remains cordoned off and traffic management remains in place while work to make the building safe externally and internally continues.

Highland Council, which is leading on works to make the structure of the building safe before handing it back to the building owners, says the road will remain closed with a diversion in place as the work continues.

A Highland Council spokesman said: "Last week the stage two works to provide additional external propping and structural scaffolding were completed.

"This has made the building safe enough for the stage three internal works to be carried out this week.

"The engineer and contractors are finalising the design of these works and work inside the building will start tomorrow, Wednesday. It is expected that the internal measures to make the building safe will be completed by the end of this week.

He continued: "The current temporary diversionary route for all traffic will remain in place meantime.

"Next week once all stage three works are completed there will be an opportunity to reassess the traffic management arrangements, but external scaffolding will need to remain in place until the building owners complete all works."

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