Bid to turn bothy into holiday house
A dilapidated bothy in the grounds of Duchray Castle in Aberfoyle could be brought back to life.
Mr and Mrs Nikita Malikov have applied to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planners for listed building consent to extend and alter the stables to create a house for holiday use.
In supporting documents submitted with the application, the developers’architects Thomas Robinson said the new accommodation would expand on the existing self-catering business at Duchray Castle and offer visits a new way to experience the history of the site and natural beauty of the surrounding countryside.
They added:“The renovation of the bothy will provide accessible accommodation to the current business.
“The existing bed and breakfast accommodation in the castle is in high demand which will support the expansion of the business.
“The proposal will include the provision of a double bedroom and en-suite bathroom, with an open kitchen and living space.”
The site of the bothy is within the grounds of Duchray Castle, a 500-year-old tower house, to the west of Aberfoyle village and south east of Loch Ard. It can be accessed via Manse Road then Duchray Road.
Although the bothy itself is not listed, the gatehouse is C listed and the castle itself is B listed. The bothy can be accessed via an existing track road to the north of the castle, or via a footpath from the castle.
Duchray Castle dates from the late 16th century and has been subject to many alterations. After falling into ruin, the castle was rebuilt between 1825 and 1860 with alterations to the windows giving it a‘gothic revival’appearance. The castle was partially destroyed by fire around the middle of the 20th century and was subsequently remodelled included the addition of a third floor.
The architects said:“We feel that due to the severely dilapidated condition of the stables building, our proposals are justified in the effort to bring the structure back in to use.”