The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
FM Group building solid reputation
Scottish property developer FM Group has reinforced its reputation for breathing new life into listed buildings after investing £10million into two historic landmarks.
The 19th-century Ury House near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, had fallen into ruin.
It is now wind and watertight following extensive restoration and is on track to become a luxury boutique hotel and spa.
Meanwhile, Dalnair Castle, on the edge of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, is being
“We must take a longer-term view on these developments”
transformed into an exclusive residential development of 10 luxury apartments.
The Dalnair project includes the removal of all dry rot inside the building, the installation of new floors and a refurbishment of the roof and external stonework.
Edinburgh-based FM Group, which specialises in preserving and protecting heritage across Scotland, has recently lodged planning applications for other transformational projects.
One of these involves the regeneration and protection of Class B and C heritage buildings on the former Sunnyside Royal Hospital site in Montrose.
Another affects Grade B-listed former headquarters of energy firm ScottishPower in Glasgow.
FM Group director Jonathon Milne said: “As a family-run Scottish business, we care deeply about our country’s heritage and this is reflected in many of our developments.
“We are passionate about building residential and commercial developments which preserve the best of heritage through the best of modern-day construction techniques to build developments and communities of which we can be proud now and in the future.
“The refurbishment of listed buildings demands the detailed attention and involvement of our team.
“It also requires significant capital investment to safeguard the properties from ruin which, in turn, means we must take a longerterm view on these developments.”
He added: “Our first ever project in 1997 was the sensitive conversion of an Edinburgh townhouse into a four-flatted development and we take the same care and attention to detail now that we did then.”
FM Group has signed a contract with hotel operator ICMI, whose portfolio includes Inverlochy Castle, near Fort William, and Fasque Castle at Fettercairn, Aberdeenshire, to operate a boutique hotel at Ury House.
Ury Castle Hotel will be the focal point for the Ury golf development, which includes a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course and luxury homes.
The developer was initially given planning permission to build 51 homes on the Ury Estate, but has since submitted a revised scheme of 99 lower-priced homes due to the current “economic climate”. Aberdeenshire Council was previously warned by the Health and Safety Executive that a 235-mile pipeline that links 85 North Sea oil and gas assets to a processing plant in Grangemouth could pose a “significant hazard” if more than 10 people stayed overnight at the hotel.
FM Group’s residential development of Dalnair Castle Estate will create 10 luxury apartments within the castle itself, eight mews properties, four plots within a walled garden and a further 10 plots within the castle grounds.
ICMI’s other properties include the Rocpool Reserve Hotel in Inverness, the Cromlix in Perthshire, the Factor’s Inn and Factor’s Cottage at Inverlochy, the Inch Hotel by Loch Ness and Inver Lodge Hotel at Lochinver.