Taymouth Castle bosses are seeking approval to move a number of house plots amid fears of flooding on their £790 million Perthshire estate. Discovery Land Company already has permission for 26 homes on either side of the castle. In time it wants to build almost 150 members-only properties on its land near Kenmore, with prices starting at £4m.
However, the US real estate firm is now seeking to reduce the number of homes in the zone beside the castle to 20 – and to move some of them further from the River Tay and onto the landward side of new flood defences. Architect’s drawings of how the new houses might look have been lodged with Perth and Kinross Council planners. A map also shows where the remaining homes are planned.
They will be spread across six zones around the golf course and castle grounds. A accompanying the latest says the proposed changes will lessen the impact on the landscape. It adds: “The approved location for a number of the approved dwellings lies on the riverside of the flood defence, which would increase flood risk to the properties should they be built.
“As such, the revised proposals place the dwellings on the castle side of the bund to ensure resilience to flood risk and climate change, whilst also creating a unique landscape feature.” The drawings show a mix of flat-roofed homes with walls made from timber and local stone. The colours for roofing, render, windows and timber stain will be chosen from a limited range approved by the estate.
Each plot will have its own sewage treatment system, which will discharge into the nearby burn or the River Tay. Surveys are under way to consider the likely impact of the homes on breeding birds, beaver, bats and otters. The supporting statement goes on: “The proposed development will contribute to the local economy by creating jobs throughout the construction of the proposal and the wider developments at Taymouth Estate.
“The proposed 20 residential units are carefully designed and positioned to prevent an over-suburbanisation of the estate. “As agreed in the previous extant planning permissions, the housing within the estate is required to facilitate the restoration of Taymouth Castle.” Discovery Land Company, fronted by US tycoon Mike Meldman, bought the Taymouth Castle estate in 2019.
The firm specialises in members-only “worlds”, featuring luxury residential homes in private club communities, and Taymouth is its first UK location. At the time, the 19th century castle was near-derelict following a number of failed developments. The owners have so far spent more than £100 million More than 140 people are employed on the estate at present.
The company has also acquired a number of properties in nearby Kenmore, as well as the Moness resort at Aberfeldy, and land in Glen Lyon. These include the , which reopened to the public following a refurbishment earlier this summer. Another, the Kenmore Hotel, is due to reopen to the public after a major facelift in 2026.
An online petition against the redevelopment, launched last year by protest group, , has amassed almost 160,000 signatures. And the Landworkers’ Alliance held a at the Taymouth Estate last week. But many locals welcome the project, and the jobs and opportunities it could bring.
An , commissioned by Discovery Land Company, forecast the estate could boost the Perth and Kinross economy by £390 million over its first 25 years. It is due for completion by the end of 2029 and is expected to provide around 250 full-time jobs. Perth and Kinross Council will decide on the latest planning applications in the coming months.
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