Fears idyllic Scottish village will become a ‘ghost town’

Kenmore, a pretty and peaceful village on the banks of Scotland’s River Tay, is an idyllic spot.

However, local residents are frightened the village will soon become a “ghost town”, reports Sky News.

Neighbouring Taymouth Castle and its land has been bought by an American business which is planning to turn the area into a resort for the mega wealthy.

Investors Discovery Land Company (DLC) has also bought and closed the village’s hotel and post office.

Local campaigner, Rob Jamieson, told Sky News: “They don’t want the great unwashed walking past their high-end homes.

“It is everything that a rich person could ever want but they never have to leave the confines of that estate.”

Plans for the estate are expected to include 208 residential units and club suites with clients including billionaires and celebrities.

The project was given planning permission by Perth and Kinross Council in 2011 although locals have launched a petition to fight back.

Ingrid Sheilds, another local protestor, said: “A lot of the time when you come here, it is literally a ghost town.”

She claimed that restaurants have closed down and that the village had been “transformed” by the project.

The council chairman said: “The castle has been in disrepair for 40 years. Steps are being taken to convert Kenmore back to a sustainable village.

“Over the last 20 years, there was a 20 percent drop in residential people living here. It will not be a closed community. I suspect they’ll be using local facilities.”

DLC told Express.co.uk: “Discovery Land Company is committed to restoring the Taymouth Castle Estate and supporting a sustainable future for the local area in partnership with the community and with respect for the natural environment.” 

It said it didn’t have any future plans to develop a marina and that 90 percent of its employees working on the estate live in Scotland. 

It said it intends to reopen the hotel to the public within 36 months and that the general store would open by the end of the year. 

The spokesperson added: “From the outset, DLC have consulted with Perth and Kinross Council on the sequencing and timing of core path closures and diversions. This is ongoing, in addition to working with Kenmore & District Community Council and Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust to ensure the changes are managed effectively.

“The Estate paths very much remain open for the public to enjoy and any necessary diversions, in place to protect the safety of walkers and workers, are clearly signposted.”