Inverness Justice Centre plans announced

Inverness Justice Centre will accommodate a range of partners working alongside courts and tribunals to provide a centre of community justice and support services for witnesses, victims, accused and those convicted in courts.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) intends to build the new centre at Burnett Road, Inverness subject to all the necessary site details and planning requirements. The site is extended by the purchase of additional land from Highland Council.

Construction is due to begin at the end of this year, with the centre opening in summer 2018.

Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle said: “I am grateful to the Scottish government for choosing and funding Inverness Justice Centre. It is deserved recognition of the efforts of everyone involved in the delivery of justice in the city.

“We have an exciting opportunity to create a pioneering, state-of-the-art justice centre, which will house justice partners and third sector organisations in the same building.

“It will deliver a range of services for offenders, providing the environment for problem solving approaches to help reduce re-offending, and offer specialist facilities, support and advice for victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, sexual violence and child abuse.”

Eric McQueen, chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service added: “The new Inverness Justice Centre will set the standards for delivering justice in Scotland. We intend to use the skills and expertise available in the Highlands to create a design and build team to deliver this major development for Inverness.

“We have held meetings with all potential stakeholders and the hard work starts now to bring together everyone’s requirements into a final design. It is a very exciting opportunity and will require a great deal of commitment from everyone involved in the project.”

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Working with SCTS and sharing space with other justice partners means the people of Inverness and the wider Highlands will have access to updated facilities and coordinated support throughout their experience with the justice system.

“We know this is a model which works, as we have already seen in Livingston which has been hugely successful, and I look forward to seeing this new facility when it is up and running and providing benefits for the communities across Highland and beyond.”