Billionaire sheikh wins fight to build his oasis of luxury in the Highlands

ONE of the world's richest men yesterday won his battle to build a sprawling new luxury holiday home in the Highlands.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the crown prince and ruler of Dubai, decided the 14-bedroom mansion on his 63,000-acre Inverinate Estate in Wester Ross, near the Kyle of Lochalsh, was too small for his family's visits to Scotland.

His solution is an additional two-storey "lodge" featuring penthouse chambers, a dining room, kitchen and 16 bedrooms, all en-suite and some with living-room areas, described by one critic as "like something you would find in the desert".

The three blocks will be made from a mix of natural stone, timber panelling and glass, all linked by glazed walkways.

The design fell foul of planners on Highland Council, who felt it was "inappropriate and insensitive" next to the historic Inverinate House and its picturesque surroundings, and recommended that it be refused planning consent.

Officials felt the proposals were "more akin to development found in business parks or halls-of-residence". The sole objection from the public said the building was "like something you would find in the Arabian desert, not something one would expect to see in Scotland". It was also feared Inverinate House would be demolished once the new home was built.

However, members of the council's Ross, Skye and Lochaber area committee ignored their officials' advice and approved the plans by nine votes to three yesterday.

Biz Campbell, a local councillor, welcomed the decision: "The planners recommended refusal purely on the grounds of design, but design is in the eyes of the beholder," she said. She added that the sheikh and his family employed 12 people as well as many more contractors. "They are tremendous landowners and buy everything locally when they visit. At this time of credit crunch we should be encouraging foreign investment." The Maktoum family built the £250,000 Inverinate and Loch Duich Community Centre and donated funds towards its running costs, and also donated land for a care home for the elderly.

The sheikh, a renowned racehorse breeder worth an estimated 12 billion, bought the estate about 25 years ago for a reputed £2 million. His family visit for a few weeks every year in the summer.

His agents, Smech Management, applied for planning consent for a new lodge, saying the existing lodge is "limited in terms of its facilities and is outdated".

The application said: "The only real solution for the principal is to construct a new lodge to provide additional sleeping and living accommodation."

The present Inverinate House was built 1929 to replace an earlier 1880 rebuild, following a fire in 1864. While it is not a listed building, planners said it was a fine example of Scottish vernacular architecture of its period, and lay within the Kintail National Scenic Area and special areas of conservation. The plan was supported by the Loch Duich Community Council.

PROFILE

SHEIKH Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, 59, is prime minister and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the ruler of Dubai.

The fabulously wealthy family receives an estimated annual income of £1 billion from the country's extensive oil reserves.

The sheikh, who has 19 children, is a major figure in horse racing and breeding. In 1981 he bought Gainsborough Stud at Woolton Hill, near Newbury in Berkshire, and he also owns Ballysheehan Stud, in County Tipperary. He hosts the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest series of horse races.

He has also supervised the development of luxury projects in Dubai, including Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building.

His charity donations are renowned. In 2007 he gave $10 billion towards an educational foundation in the Middle East.