Billionaire ruler of Dubai didn’t realise he needed planning permission to build new house on Highland estate
Dubai’s billionaire ruler has claimed he did not know he needed planning permission to build a new house on his Scottish Highland estate.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 76, has spared no expense in his three-storey home at Inverinate in Wester Ross, which has 15 bedrooms, a large living room, dining room and conservatory.
However, the Sheikh obtained planning permission for the building’s initial plans last year, but changes have been made to the design since that permission was granted.
It is now considering seeking retrospective planning permission for additional parts of the house, which include a utility room extension, chimney breast, fireplace, a modified front entrance with sandstone arches, resized windows and roof lights.
The property is strictly regulated as it is located in a protected conservation area on the banks of Loch Duich. The area is home to deer, Eurasian otters, pipistrelle bats and Western European hedgehogs.
Nearby residents are nervous about the planning error, and one of them explains: Telegram ‘He expresses his belief that the Sheikh and his family were not aware of the planning permit procedure.’
They added: ‘Of course, he has always been welcome here and treated the local community well, but surely they will be aware of our building laws, especially with all the building work in recent years?’
In documents seen by the newspaper, it was stated that Sheikh’s representatives were ‘unaware that planning permission was required for the amended works’.
Dubai’s billionaire ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum at the Inverinate Estate in Wester Ross, Scotland, in August
The new 15-bedroom mansion will be the Sheikh’s ninth building in Inverinate and is not the first time he has worked with the Council’s planning committee.
The luxury property has three helipads and a swimming pool. Sheikh Mohammed visits the place once or twice a year after buying it more than 20 years ago.
This new 15-bed townhouse is just the latest part of a major expansion the site has undergone in recent years. It is the ninth building to be built on the site and joins a new cottage, two new cottages and several other large houses rising next to helipads.
All these improvements were made to accommodate guests and staff.
A planning statement submitted to the Highland council stated: ‘Owners of Inverinate land often travel in large groups of close and extended family and friends.
‘In recent years their travel to Inverinate has been limited by lack of accommodation. ‘Additional staff accommodation will be completed in 2022 to create infrastructure to support further use of the land.’
He added: ‘The proposals do not alter the basic scale, use or overall design intent of the previously approved scheme.’
Roddy Macleod, who lives next to the mansion, previously said: ‘No one knows how huge a structure this will be. He seems determined to keep this job. “There was really a lot of tension.”
This is not the first time the Sheikh has breached planning rules, as he installed solar panels on land without permission last year. The council then allowed him to keep them.
His plans for the property have frequently faced opposition, with a bid to build a new six-bedroom B&B blocked in 2020 by the Council, which sided with more than 30 objectors.
Inverinate is located in a protected reserve on the banks of Loch Duich (pictured) and is home to deer, Eurasian otters, pipistrelle bats and Western European hedgehogs
But the Scottish Government refused the council and the lodge was built despite local anger.
The billionaire’s property company, Smech Management, was forced to pay £30,000 for local affordable housing as a concession to ease tensions.
Sheikh Mohammed also owns another property in the United Kingdom, in Newmarket, Suffolk. Here he also wanted to build two tarmac helipads at Warren Place, the racing stable he bought from trainer Sir Henry Cecil in 2015.
However, this was vetoed when Anglian Water objected due to concerns the project would pollute water supplies with aviation fuel.
He also owns huge estates in Essex, Surrey and Suffolk and is one of the UK’s largest landowners.
His fortune is worth £11 billion, making him one of the richest men in the world.
The Daily Mail has contacted the Dubai Government media office for a comment.
