Crumbling Letham Grange is being inundated with unwelcome guests as increasing numbers of so-called urban explorers head to the former luxury hotel. And there are now fears it will become even more of a magnet after the latest redevelopment plans for the Georgian mansion were dropped. The Taiwanese family which regained control of the hotel and golf courses near Arbroath in 2018 said they would not be pursuing plans to create a new ‘village’ there.
And many residents on the estate are said to be “incensed” their opposition to the mass housing plan has been . Last year the owners signalled their intention to redevelop the hotel and golf course. But it would have required the enabling development of hundreds of new homes.
It followed a previous which also did not proceed. However, after two public consultation events, the plans are not being taken forward. Significant local opposition was cited as a key reason in the decision.
The owners said they were not willing to take the “unsustainable risk” of pumping a million pounds into a planning application they feared councillors would reject. But many residents are unhappy at the latest turn of events. “They asked for honest opinions and they got them,” said one.
“People are very angry at the way the blame seems to have been put on the folk living on Letham Grange. “We never suspected for one minute it would actually go ahead – the same as the last time the big plans were announced. “The owner has never spoken properly to the community for years.
” It leaves the future of the one time ‘Augusta of Scotland’ mired in uncertainty once again. Meanwhile, growing numbers of unauthorised visitors are touring its faded grandeur. Just days ahead of the latest announcement almost 40 photographs of the property were posted on a popular ‘urban explorer’ Facebook site.
Many showed the dilapidated interior of Letham Grange, including its former ice rink and golf club lockers. The person who posted the photos received multiple requests asked for the location. This week Letham Grange planning agent Robin Holder said: “Earlier this year, the owners acceded to pressure from local residents and the council to from the site as well as some which placed intruders at risk.
“Unfortunately, this has had the predictable outcome of significantly increasing the incidences of forced entry into Letham House and related vandalism. “The current situation is therefore acknowledged by the owners as far from ideal but their ability to resolve matters is very hampered. “They are considering their next steps and look forward to liaising with the community and the council again in due course.
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