A much-delayed £48.5 million school campus in the Highlands has finally been handed over to the local authority.

Highland Council confirmed to stakeholders that the Wick Campus has been completed by hub North Scotland and Morrison Construction.

At a turf cutting ceremony in 2014 marking the start of construction on the Wick Joint Campus it was said the site would open in the summer of 2016.

But since then the council’s contractor has on several occasions had to push back the completion date.

In a statement, the council said: “The building is not as yet operational, and there are a number of outstanding works to be completed.

“The post-handover period will see commissioning, snagging and other work take place, prior to the council commencing decant into the new buildings and confirming the building as operationally ready.”

A stakeholder group meeting on 31 January is proposed to provide further update.