The project forms part of a multi-million-pound care hub in the city which comprises a 58-bed care home, currently under construction, which will then be followed by a later living village on an adjacent site.

Parklands Care Homes had originally submitted plans to The Highland Council for 24 homes comprising three-storey blocks of flats with communal stairwells.

Under the new plans, Parklands will build smaller-scale two-storey cottage flats, with one flat on the ground floor and one on the first floor, each with its own private access.

The new development is now planned around a central garden and more community-orientated open space. It is also proposed to reduce the number of car parking spaces, given the development’s close proximity to the care home and later living village, and create more landscaped areas.

Parklands announced in April that it intended to provide staff accommodation in response to the shortage of affordable homes for key workers in Inverness. Priority will be given to Parklands’ employees; however, if there is spare capacity, some homes could be offered to other care workers in the area, including NHS employees.

A supporting statement by Parklands Care Homes said there was a “distinct lack of quality rental accommodation offered and available at affordable rents” for care workers in Inverness.

It added: “Purpose-built new build properties made available at affordable rents for staff is the key aim of these properties. The cottage flats will offer the opportunity for some staff members to share accommodation which again will allow them to lessen the financial burden associated with high rents and poorly insulated private rented accommodation across the city.”

Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes, said: “We have looked again at our plans and we feel that our new proposals are more in keeping with our aim of creating a more community-orientated open space.

“This is our response to the cost of living crisis and lack of affordable housing in Inverness. As a responsible employer, we feel it’s important to do everything we can to support workers in the care sector.”