Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, 69, has submitted plans to build two lodges and a nine-bedroom house at his 63,000-acre Inverinate retreat in Scotland
The billionaire ruler of Dubai is hoping to expand his massive Scottish estate to accommodate his huge family – adding a nine-bedroom house and two lodges for his staff.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has several wives and 23 children who are known to visit the estate in the summer.
In a statement for the Sheikh it was revealed that the family’s trips to Inverinate in Wester Ross had been ‘limited by lack of accommodation’.
Now the rich ruler, through his development company Smech Ltd, is seeking to build the extra accommodation at his Highland retreat to help house his huge family, servants and entourage.
It is the latest development on the sheikh’s estate, which already has a triple helipad and a 14-bedroom holiday home next door to a 16-bedroom luxury hunting lodge complete with a swimming pool and gym.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has submitted plans to build new accommodation for his family and servants on his 63,000-acre Highland estate (pictured) that already has a 14-bedroom home and 16-bedroom hunting lodge
An artist impression of the proposed nine-bedroom house shows that the new build could look like. Architects working on the plans said the estate’s owners had been ‘limited by lack of accommodation’ in the past when they visited
The Sheikh, pictured with his wife Princess Haya of Jordan in 2013, hopes to expand the estate so that his family is better accommodated during their summer visits escaping the Dubai heat
Sheikh Mohammed who submitted the plans to Highland Council earlier this month has a fortune worth more than £13.73 billion and brought the 63,000-acre estate around 20 years ago.
The proposed nine-bedroom lodge will be called Ptarmigan and the second, a 19-bedroom property is set to be called Benula, reports ArabianBusiness.
His family use it in summer to escape the 50C Dubai heat.
The sheikh is best known in Britain for being one of the top racehorse owners, 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.
Maktoum’s greatest passion is horse-racing and he is the owner of the Godolphin stables, which has produced some of the leading thoroughbreds in the sport.
Some estimated the Sheikh to have a personal fortune of £15bn and in the last 15 years he has transformed Dubai into one of the most modern cities in the world.
The proposed buildings sit close to Loch Duich and would fit inside the area marked in a red outline. The Sheikh brought the 63,000-acre estate around 20 years ago and his family use it in the summer to escape Dubai’s heat
Maktoum was behind the Palm Islands, the Burj Al-Arab hotel, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper that dominates the skyline of the city.
He also helped start Emirates airlines, sponsors of Arsenal and Paris St Germain football teams.
His first marriage was in 1979 and later wed the daughter of the King of Jordan.
The plans comes after one of his runway daughters, Latifa, sent out a distress message claiming men firing gunshots were outside her hideout.
In a statement, Colin Armstrong Architects, which is based in Inverness, said: ‘The owners of Inverinate Estate typically travel in large groups of immediate and extended family and friends.
The Sheikh has 23 children and has a fortune worth more than £13.73 billion. He is pictured here with wife Princess Haya of Jordan, son Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and daughter Sheikha Al Jalila bint Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum enjoying a day at Royal Ascot
‘In recent years their travel to Inverinate has been limited by lack of accommodation.
‘Additional staff accommodation was completed in 2017 to create infrastructure that would support greater use of the estate by the owner and this new application seeks to create residential accommodation for the use of the owners, their family and their guests in order they may enjoy more frequent and extended visits to Inverinate.’
Highland Council will determine the proposals in due course.