At one time, locals and those visiting the village of Kenmore on the north-eastern banks of Loch Tay, Perthshire, were able to take a leisurely walk through the woodlands of the 180-hectare Taymouth estate, enjoying local wildlife, Victorian landscaping and views of imposing 19th-century Taymouth Castle. Today, in high summer and peak tourist season, would-be walkers are instead met with “path closed” signs and security warnings, while the castle – clad in scaffolding – is only visible from the roadside en route to nearby Aberfeldy.
According to campaigners, this, alongside the recent closure of local amenities such as a post office, hotel and boat hire company, is symptomatic of the “strangling” of Kenmore by developers who have bought up much of the village. Now an online campaign, Protect Loch Tay, aims to put a stop to plans by the US firm Discovery Land Company (DLC) to build a 320-hectare gated community on the Taymouth estate and neighbouring Glenlyon estate.
“They’re taking away ground that’s been an amenity for people for years and making it exclusive in the name of profit,” said taxi firm owner Rob Jamieson, who founded the Protect Loch Tay group. “This isn’t a hotel where you can take your wife out for a meal, or a golf course where you can go along and play. It’s all for their very rich members and not the community that’s already here.”
The impact on wildlife and the area’s natural beauty is also a concern, said Jamieson, as Loch Tay is home to beavers, otters and birds as well as rare fish species, and remains relatively unspoiled by the likes of speedboats and jetskis.
DLC describes itself as providing “luxury residential family homes built in private club communities”. Its “worlds”, as it calls them, include medical, recreational and educational facilities as well as shops and restaurants. Membership requires the purchase of a property, which can cost anything from $3m to $50m.
In a recent edition of its company magazine, an article outlines plans for “a community including 208 residential units and club suites” as well as a clubhouse, sports centre and wellness facility on the Taymouth and Glenlyon estates, the company’s first offering in the UK. The development, it notes, is just a 90-minute drive from Glasgow and Edinburgh – or 30 minutes by helicopter.
On a rainy afternoon last week, Loch Tay played host to fewer fishing boats, canoes and paddleboards than usual, but dogs and children still braved the beach, along with a stream of passersby. Opinions here seem mixed about the DLC proposals.
“People never like change but more money in the area is positive, I think,” said Megan McDaid, 34, who lives nearby. “If it means the castle and other places will be restored, then that’s great.”
But others questioned the benefits to the local economy and community. “Kenmore does need some investment but this isn’t it,” another resident told the Observer. “It will benefit a tiny number of people and change the area’s character completely.”
The local MSP, John Swinney, said he was aware of concerns among some constituents and intended to meet them for further discussion. “With any development of this nature, it is essential that the views of local residents are considered and that any legitimate concerns are addressed sympathetically and as quickly as possible,” he said.
“To that end, it is my hope that those involved with this project will engage proactively with the local community and work collaboratively to address any outstanding issues.”
Mercedes Villalba MSP, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for environment and biodiversity, recently proposed a Scottish parliament bill that would limit land ownership to 500 hectares unless a public interest test is passed. “For as long as Scotland’s land can be hoarded and developed by the super-rich to create their own elite ‘playground’, we are living closer to medieval feudalism than a just, equitable society,” she said of the Kenmore proposals.
“The high concentration of so much land in the hands of so few is central to the inequality that has blighted Scotland for centuries.”
A spokesperson for DLC told the Observer that the company is “committed to restoring the estate and securing a sustainable future for the local area in partnership with the community and with respect for the local environment.
“The community is being kept updated on progress via the Kenmore and District community council and the project website,” the spokesperson said.
But for Jamieson, whose Protect Loch Tay group has attracted almost 2,000 members in five weeks, the campaign is just beginning.
“I’m not an expert – I’m just a local person who doesn’t want to see the place spoiled,” said Jamieson. “They say they want to build a ‘community’ here, but we already have a community. These plans only exist to squeeze profit out of it.”
