The council’s economic development and infrastructure services committee has agreed to recommend that the council’s capital plan should be adjusted to accommodate the rise in costs.

Estimated costs of the project, which was backed by the Scottish Government’s senior planning experts in May, have increased from the £9.2m to £11.8m over the past two years.

Councillors were told that construction and property costs and the preparation of a new planning application following the refusal of the original application had all contributed to the increase.

The design of the scheme has also undergone a number of changes in consultation with objectors to the original application.

Committee chairman Councillor John Cowe moved that the matter be referred to the full council with a recommendation that the capital plan be adjusted to reflect the revised costs.

Councillor Gordon McDonald moved an amendment that the western link road project should be deferred until more information was available about the Scottish Government’s proposals to dual the A96 trunk road.

The vote was tied at six all with Councillor Cowe using his casting vote in favour of the motion.