Inverness Justice Centre

Until 2020, all sheriff court hearings took place at Inverness Castle.[1][2] However, as the number of court cases in Inverness grew, it became necessary to commission a modern courthouse for criminal matters. The site selected by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service had previously been occupied by a bus depot on Longman Road,[3] which had once been fronted by a row of terraced houses.[4]

The new building was designed by Reiach and Hall Architects in the Moderist style, built by Robertson Group with support from Willmott Dixon in concrete and glass at a cost of £24 million[5] and was officially opened on 30 March 2020.[6][7][8]

The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage facing north towards Harbour Road. The frontage was formed by a long colonnade of square columns supporting a concrete frame. In the left hand section of five bays, the columns were canted forward from the longer right hand section of 30 bays, so creating a sheltered area for access to the building. Behind the columns the building was clad in sheet glass. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate six courtrooms.[9] The building was named Public Building of the Year in the Scottish Design Awards for 2021,[10] and was awarded the Architectural Excellence Award (Public) in the Scottish Property Awards for 2021.[11]

Notable court cases have included the trial and conviction of William MacDowell, in September 2022, for the murder of his lover, Renee MacRae, and their son, Andrew MacRae, in 1976: the case was heard by the High Court of Justiciary sitting in the Inverness Justice Centre.[12][13][14]