A cottage in Pennan – made famous by cult film Local Hero – has been sold for £265,000.
The former boathouse Aberdeenshire is one of several 18th-century buildings dotted along the scenic shoreline.
It was originally a fishing cottage before being used as a boatshed but fell into disrepair.
It was put up for sale last year for £70,000 but documents reveal it was bought by a businesswoman earlier this month.
Pennan was thrust into the limelight as the location for Scots comedy-drama Local Hero which was released in 1983.
The film tells the story of an American oil company worker sent to the fictional village of Ferness on the west coast of Scotland to purchase the town and surrounding property for his company.
It starred Peter Capaldi, Peter Riegert, Denis Lawson, Fulton Mackay and Burt Lancaster and celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year.
‘Unsightly’ Pennan building transformed
Developers said the cottage stood out as an ‘unsightly object’ and plans to transform it into a modern home were approved by Aberdeenshire Council in 2022.
A description for the cottage when it went on the market said: “We are delighted to offer a development opportunity in one of Buchan’s most sought-after and prime locations.
“This former ‘boathouse’, with permission for conversion to a private residence, certainly has one of the most enviable views of the surrounding coastline and out to sea. Upon completion would this be your dream home?”
Drone footage showed a row of pristine white homes before viewers were taken on a tour of the derelict building which remains filled with remnants of its nautical past.
Previous plans for the cottage at 40 Pennan initially stated an aim to turn it into a short-term let but its future lies solely with its new owner.
Locals had previously complained about Airbnbs in the area.
Building adapted for ‘modern society’
An approved planning application said: “40 Pennan is special. The building is a hybrid of the reason it was built – as a cottage for the fisherman – and, then, a store for a small fishing boat.
“The building adapted with the changes in society. It can be considered to be an unsightly object within Pennan’s Conservation Area but it is actually a true reflection of the past.
“It now lies redundant because it no longer provides a residential use for is required for boat storage – it is the time for it to make another adaptation to meet the needs of the modern society.”
Granting permission for the redevelopment, Aberdeenshire Council said: “It has been successfully demonstrated that the proposed change of use and alterations to form a dwelling house are appropriately designed and scaled.”
They added the plans did not fall foul of restrictions on ‘historic and cultural’ areas.
Conversation