Detectives on the hunt for a murderer who shot a bank worker on the doorstep of his Highlands home have urged anyone who was in the hotel opposite two days before the fatal shooting to come forward.

Alistair Wilson, who was killed at his Nairn home in 2004, objected to a retrospective planning application for a large decking area outside the Havelock Hotel opposite his property and detectives believe this to be significant to the investigation.

Investigators have said the father-of-two’s objection was discussed in the hotel bar from Friday, November 26 2004, and over the weekend up until his murder two days later.

Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie, of Police Scotland’s major investigation team, on Wednesday said: “This would have been the first time Alistair’s objection to a retrospective planning application for the decking would have become public knowledge.

“We want to know what was being said about it and who else was there as this may be significant to our investigation.

“I would ask anyone with information, no matter how insignificant they think it might be, to please come forward.”

The 30-year-old was shot dead on his doorstep in Crescent Road at about 7pm on Sunday, November 28, after a man knocked on Mr Wilson’s door and spoke to his wife Veronica, asking for him by name.

He went downstairs to speak to the man and was handed a blue envelope with the word “Paul” on it.

He went inside briefly and then returned to the door when he was shot dead.

In the summer of 2004, Mr Wilson objected to the building of a large decking area within the car park of the hotel, which he said was responsible for increased noise and litter in the area.

He filed the objection to the local authority on November 25 that year, three days before he was killed and, last month, detectives made a fresh appeal for information to help with the hunt for his murderer.

Detectives have since interviewed a key witness in Canada regarding the planning application and said they believed the answer to who murdered him lies within his personal life and is not connected to his employment with the Bank of Scotland.

Det Supt Mackie added: “Within the last two weeks, two new witnesses have come forward with further information about the planning application and also the building of the decking.

“This new information is being examined as part of the investigation and I am greatly encouraged that even 17 years on we still have new witnesses coming forward to help catch Alistair’s killer.”

Following the recent police appeals, a witness reported seeing two men, one in their 20s and another between 40 and 60 years old, on East Beach, Nairn.

The witness has said the younger man was in possession of a handgun.

Detectives working on Operation Sorn believe the man who murdered Mr Wilson was aged between 20 and 40 years old at the time, and would now be in his mid-30s to almost 60 years old.

He was approximately 5ft 7in tall and was wearing a baseball cap and jacket.

Previous appeals described the gunman as being between 30 and 40 years old.