Detailed plans for a new golf course designed by legendary golfer Arnold Palmer have been submitted to the Highland Council.

The Arnold Palmer Group (APG), in collaboration with Castle Stuart Golf Links, plans to build the course near Inverness to complement the existing Castle Stuart course on the Moray Firth.

The Palmer Tribute course, which is understood to cost around £5.5 million to construct, will be adjacent to the existing links.

APG is hoping approval of the new multi-million pound course will be granted in January, allowing work to begin in the spring just a couple of months before Castle Stuart hosts the Scottish Open for the fourth time in six years.

APG is investing in the current partnership at Castle Stuart and senior architects from the Arnold Palmer Design Company are lined up to join the current on-site team to design and build the new course. The intention is to complete the project in l at e summer of 2018.

It is predicted about 30 jobs would be created during the initial 14-month construction period. An additional 20 would be created on site, including greenkeepers, clubhouse staff and marketing/sales team.

Palmer, 85, who visited the site of his company’s first golf course in Scotland, said: “When it comes to locations we’d like to work, Scotland has always been at the top of our list.”

He added: “Needless to say the bar is set pretty high. Accordingly, we’ve been careful not to jump at the first opportunity to come along, deciding instead to wait on the right project.”