£1m facelift for derelict castle

The Scotsman, 13 November 2000

A derelict 19th-century castle in the heart of the Mearns is set to be restored to its original splendour as part of a £lmillion hotel and leisure development.

Ecclesgreig Castle, overlooking the Kincardineshire village of St Cyrus, was built in 1844 as the family seat of the Forsyth-Grants, the local lairds.

However, they left in 1953, leaving the castle to be gutted and used as an agricultural storehouse.

Nine years ago, planning permission was granted to develop the site as a hotel, together with three golf courses, but the plan was never implemented and planning permission lapsed in 1994.

Now the new owners, Farquhar Estates, plan to turn the derelict castle into a luxury hotel as part of a wider tourism development of the 34-acre site. The company plans to build four lodges for long-term rental and two chalet parks for holiday lets.

Income from the holiday properties would be used to provide funding for essential repairs prior to the castle’s development as a hotel. The application is due to come before Aberdeenshire Council’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee tomorrow.

Douglas Gray, the head of planning and building control for the area, is recommending that the scheme be approved.