Fashion designer Stella McCartney and her husband Alasdhair Willis have been granted planning permission to build a £5 million home on a remote peninsula in the Scottish Highlands, following a three-year battle over concerns for local otters and the modernist design.
The property, a split-level house with a turf roof and natural stone walls, will be built on a rocky outcrop overlooking Loch Ailort, 30 metres above sea level. Opponents had objected to its size, design, and potential impact on the landscape and wildlife of the Moidart peninsula.
Highland council officers recommended approval subject to conditions, including protection of wildlife, public access to the beach, and measures to mitigate external lighting. NatureScot, which will license the plans, said cameras should monitor building work to ensure no harm to otters, a protected species with holts near the site.
The site, known as Commando Rock for its WWII training use, already had planning permission, but the couple proposed a more environmentally sensitive design. Local councillor Bill Lobban likened the design to a "second world war concrete bunker" but acknowledged it was "less hideous" than the original.
The couple, who married on the Isle of Bute in 2003, plan to live there permanently. A spokesperson said: "This is not a holiday home; it is a house that the family will live in, our forever home."
