Latest in plans to create luxury resort at Taymouth Castle

Apr 15 2011 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TAYMOUTH Castle developers have lodged plans to convert the A-Listed landmark and its 173-hectare grounds into a luxury, year-round resort.

New Taymouth Estate owners Meteor Property Fund have now included a significant addition to ill-fated 2005 plans to create a six-star hotel and resort – an additional 71 luxury properties.

These will be built for sale, which the applicants assert is necessary to finance the castle’s renovation.

If the planning process goes unhindered, the 173-hectare estate at Kenmore will be home to 167 properties, including 160 new builds – planning consent already exists for 89. Seven existing properties would be redeveloped.

Among a raft of proposals, the newly-submitted plans also seek planning consent for the formation of spa facilities, erection of a restaurant and a bridge, alterations to the golf course and modification to existing consent to allow a change of house type on the estate.

Meteor hope Perth and Kinross Council will grant planning consent in time to allow a summer start.

Meteor’s development manager Martin Mortimer pledged responsible public access to the estate would continue.

“It is expected that responsible access to the estate will be allowed – beyond the statutory requirements – and Meteor is working with the local community to decide the best ways of policing this to ensure that everyone’s enjoyment of the estate is unspoilt, ” he said.

Remedial work to ensure the safety of a Chinese Bridge linking both banks of the River Tay has been completed.