THE owners of a South Lanarkshire castle have announced plans for a major expansion.
The once-derelict Crossbasket Castle in High Blantyre was previously transformed into a hotel and events destination. Steve and Alison Timoney, who spent five years and over £10 million restoring the listed building, have now applied for planning permission that would see their investment more than double.
The plans include a £15 million spend on a new 40-bedroom hotel, restaurant and spa set within the castle’s grounds. If approved, the project is tipped to bring up to 52 new jobs to the Blantyre area. Construction work could start in early 2021, with the two-year build programme planned to minimise disruption to guests and local residents.
Once complete, the hotel and venue will have capacity for an additional 35,000 visitors each year.
Alison Reid-Timoney said, “We’re really excited to announce our ambitious expansion plans at Crossbasket Castle. After purchasing what was a building in a state of total disrepair and on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register, it became a true passion project to carefully restore the castle and grounds to their resplendent glory. The expansion marks the next phase of this journey.
“We believe pushing forward with this large-scale investment at this highly uncertain time, is not only essential to protect our existing business but is the kind of thing that will encourage the industry to fight back and deliver the standard of facility that our customers are keen to see and will inevitably return to with their usual enthusiasm.
“The new hotel, spa and restaurant designs are all in keeping with the local surroundings, and with its landscape centric design, further establishes the 15th Century Castle as the jewel in the Crossbasket crown. The local community have provided valuable feedback to allow the design to be developed through various consultations.
“Although the Covid-19 pandemic has had dealt a significant blow to the economy, we are inspired by how people are fighting back to try to keep their businesses afloat. This takes great courage and self-belief and we hope our confidence in the recovery will help inspire that fight in our sector.”
New facilities will include 40 new bedroom suites and four eco-friendly detached lodge houses. A spa would house a glass-fronted café, swimming pool, gym and fitness studio, heat experiences, relaxation areas and treatment rooms.
