Billionaire Crown Prince of Dubai gets permission to expand 63,000-acre estate

The billionaire ruler of Dubai has been given permission to expand his 63,000 acre Highlands estate to include a home and a 19-bed staff lodge.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s architects said his family’s trips to their sprawling holiday estate in Inverinate, Wester Ross, had been ‘limited by lack of accommodation’.

The racehorse owner, who has several wives and 23 children and is worth more than £13.7 billion, applied for planning permission to build nine-bed staff lodge and a 19-bed house. 

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his wife, Princess Haya of Jordon The Derby at Epsom Downs

The Sheikh's Inverinate estate in Wester Ross, Scotland. He has been granted permission to build on the estate

The Sheikh’s Inverinate estate in Wester Ross, Scotland. He has been granted permission to build on the estate

An artist impression of the proposed 19-bedroom staff lodge to be located to the east of the recently completed estate lodge

An artist impression of the proposed 19-bedroom staff lodge to be located to the east of the recently completed estate lodge

And despite objections the prince’s entourage would wreak havoc on local roads, Highland Council planners gave the plans the green light this week.

The sheikh’s estate already has a triple helipad, a 14-bedroom holiday home and a 16-bed luxury hunting lodge with a swimming pool and gym.

In a planning decision notice, Highland Council case officer Graham Sharp, said: ‘All relevant matters have been taken into account when appraising this application.

‘It is considered that the proposal is acceptable in terms of all other applicable material considerations.’

Sheikh Mohammed brought the estate, on the shores of Loch Duich, around 20 years ago.

But his development company Smech Properties Ltd applied to Highland Council this summer for two lodges and another house.

This design shows the proposal for the nine-bed home,  laid out over two stories in height with, at upper floors, bedrooms clustered around a central feature staircase. Public rooms and two further bedrooms will be located at ground floor level and 'take advantage of attractive views and the southerly aspect over Loch Duich'

This design shows the proposal for the nine-bed home, laid out over two stories in height with, at upper floors, bedrooms clustered around a central feature staircase. Public rooms and two further bedrooms will be located at ground floor level and ‘take advantage of attractive views and the southerly aspect over Loch Duich’

A birds-eye view of the staff lodge and 9-bed home on the Scottish estate 

A birds-eye view of the staff lodge and 9-bed home on the Scottish estate 

Despite objections the prince's entourage would wreak havoc on local roads, Highland Council planners gave the plans the green light this week

Despite objections the prince’s entourage would wreak havoc on local roads, Highland Council planners gave the plans the green light this week

In a statement to planners, Colin Armstrong Architects said: ‘The owners of Inverinate Estate typically travel in large groups of immediate and extended family and friends.

‘In recent years their travel to Inverinate has been limited by the lack of accommodation.’

Concerns were raised by Transport Scotland and local residents that it would add traffic to the roads, which are in a designated ‘national scenic area.’

Writing in October, Transport Scotland’s Ken Aitken said he wanted to know how often and for how long people would be visiting the estate. 

The Church of Scotland also claimed the ‘scale’ of the development was not acceptable.

Pope Francis with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi on February 4

Pope Francis with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi on February 4

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Premiere in 2011

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Premiere in 2011

Architects submitted the plans saying the Sheikh and his family were 'limited' by the lack of accommodation

Architects submitted the plans saying the Sheikh and his family were ‘limited’ by the lack of accommodation

Resident Tina McLeod described the plans as ‘utterly hideous’.

She added: ‘Is this traditional Highland estate set to become yet another playground resort for the rich with little or no benefit to the local community?’

Neighbour Gerhard Lehner labelled it a ‘monstrosity of a building’, adding: ‘The sheer size of the building is certainly not blending in with the surrounding landscape.’

In December, the Shiekh withdraw plans for one of the two new proposed lodges.

The plans for the nine-bed home and one lodge was approved by the council on Monday.

The sheikh is best known in Britain for being a top racehorse owner, and is credited with turning Dubai into one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

He succeeded his brother in 2006 to become the ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. 

His family reportedly use the Highland estate in summer to escape the 50c Dubai heat. 

Who is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum?

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum is the prime minister and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates and the Emir, or Ruler, of Dubai, one of seven states that make up the UAE 

Sheikh Mohammed, born in 1949, is descended from of one of the most notable prolific tribes in Arabia, Bani Yas 

He has had a lifetime love of horses and attended his first race meeting in 1967 while he was studying at Cambridge University in England, watching Royal Palace win the 2000 Guineas with Australian jockey George Moore aboard 

A decade later, Hatta gave him his first success as an owner on June 20, 1977 

Sheikh Mohammed’s passion for horses grew into a major bloodstock operation and has evolved into the world’s largest and most global racing team, Godolphin, as well as the successful stallion operation, Darley 

Since he established Godolphin in 1992, Sheikh Mohammed’s operation has won 288 Group One races, 30 in 2018 

The name Godolphin comes from one of the three Arabian stallions credited with being the foundation of the thoroughbred breed. The Godolphin Arabian found his way to England and began his stallion career as the property of an English aristocrat, Lord Godolphin 

Another of the three foundation stallions was The Darley Arabian, after whom Sheikh Mohammed’s stallion operation is named

Source: Yahoo7 

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