Planning permission has been granted for a luxury indoor swimming pool complex on the grounds of a Perthshire dairy tycoon’s sprawling estate.
The pool house, designed by Comrie-based Denholm Partnership Architects, will be installed next to a lochan on the 20-acre grounds of Auchterarder House.
Inside the single-storey building will be a swimming pool measuring 5m by 12m, a jacuzzi and a steam room.
Large sliding bi-fold glass doors will open up to an external timber decking area overlooking the lochan.
Auchterarder House accommodated Reagan and Thatcher
Auchterarder House was previously an upmarket hotel whose guests included former US president Ronald Reagan and ex-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
In 2002 it was bought for £1.4m by businessman Robert Wiseman jr, whose father – Robert sr – founded their family dairy firm in East Kilbride in 1947.
Robert jr, now 68, made the Victorian manor house, set in 18 acres of woodland, his family home.
After extensive renovations in 2020, Auchterarder House is now available for ‘exclusive use rentals’.
Its website says it is “one of the most comfortable private family homes in Scotland”, and comes with its own in-house chef.
It offers guests a drawing room, library, dining room, cinema room, gym, shoot room and billiard room.
The site adds: “With a huge amount of living space, both grand and informal and 10 exceptionally spacious and comfortable ensuite bedrooms, if you are looking for a family-friendly, luxury holiday it is the perfect Scottish Highlands accommodation.”
Dairy tycoon Robert Wiseman allowed swimming pool
However, Mr Wiseman’s application says “the pool building is for the use of the house occupants and is not for commercial use.”
And Perth and Kinross Council‘s decision statement has the condition that it should be “used solely for purposes incidental to the domestic enjoyment of the dwellinghouse.”
It adds: “The proposal is of a subservient design, sympathetic and appropriate to the host property and its setting, framed against established tree cover.
“[It] provides a proportionately balanced view when viewed from the south-east which does not erode the sense of scale against the host dwellinghouse.”
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