Highland Council said the West Link was needed to ease congestion in the city centre and link up the Southern Distributor Road to the A82.

BBC: Bridge among options for new West Link in Inverness

The one-mile (1.6 km) Northern Inner Distributor Road will see Staplegrove Road, in the west of the town, linked to Priory Avenue in the east.

BBC: Taunton ?22m NIDR road project gets final approval

The government has backed the council's move to buy land along the route of the Northern Inner Distributor Road (NIDR), following a public inquiry in May.

BBC: Artist's impression of new Viridor building