The 3,866m2 purpose-built centre in Inverness will also incorporate an archive conservation unit, a dedicated family history centre and modern office accommodation.

Work on the new centre will get underway imminently and complete summer 2009.

Specialist atmospheric and environmental controls will be required in order to safeguard the storage of parchment, paper and records in other formats allowing the return of archives to the Highlands presently stored in Edinburgh.

The new archive centre has been designed by architect LDN and will use environmental design principles in its construction such as; natural stone and terracotta cladding and oak windows.