The billionaire ruler of Dubai has won permission to build an eighth house on his Scottish Highland estate.
Representatives for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum lodged plans to erect a five-bedroom home on the Inverinate Estate to accommodate visiting family and friends.
The 74-year-old bought the 63,000-acre estate in Wester Ross, on the picturesque banks of Loch Duichmore than 20 years ago.
It already boasts three helipads, a hunting lodge and a pool.
An application was submitted to Highland Council for an eighth home in January whilst a separate application for a seventh property was submitted last year.
Plans show the new lodge will have five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a lounge, dining room and a snug area.
A design statement for the eighth home, included with the application, submitted to Highland Council in January, reads: “The visitors 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 lack of accommodation.
“This application seeks to enhance that accommodation by forming a new dwelling.
“The proposed design has sought to sensitively place a modest dwelling house into an area of land which is well hidden from view.”
Representatives for the Sheikh argue the house will have ‘minimal impact’ on trees and habitats as it will sit on an existing area of grass.
The estate is on the coast of Loch Duich, which is a special area of conservation, and is home to large mammals including red deer, Eurasian otter, pipistrelle, west European hedgehog, bank vole, wood mouse, and harbour seals.
The Sheikh of Dubai, who is one of the UK’s biggest landowners and world’s richest men, normally travels to the property once or twice a year.
Highland Council has ruled the development at Inverinate was ‘acceptable’ on the condition that arboricultural and landscape provision is adhered to.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who has long held ties to this country, owns more than 100,000 acres of land and several sprawling estates.
He even developed a friendship with the late Queen through their mutual love of horses and often appeared as her guest at Ascot.
Sheikh’s battle to build more Highland homes
In 2020, the sheikh won a planning battle to build a six bedroom lodge at the estate after the Scottish Government overruled a council vote to block it.
His plans for Ptarmigan Lodge, on the eastern edge of his estate, were the subject of more than 30 objections from locals.
Highland councillors turned down the application but the decision was overturned following an appeal to the Scottish Government.
The application approved on the condition that the sheikh’s property company Smech made a £30,000 payment towards local affordable housing.
In contrast in 2008, the sheikh’s emirate unveiled the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa; Dubai Mall, then world’s largest shopping centre by total land area; and the Dubai Metro.
And the Highland retreat is now to get even larger soon to accommodate the sheikh’s numerous wives, more than 20 children, plethora of relatives and a large entourage of bodyguards and servants.
The sheikh’s architects previously said the family’s trips to Inverinate have been “limited by lack of accommodation” – despite already then having 30 bedrooms there – and another 28 approved in February 2019.
The sheikh, who founded the Godolphin racehorse stud has made all his applications to Highland Council through his company Smech Properties Ltd.
With such a large entourage, Transport Scotland had also been concerned over the wear and tear to the local road caused by the sheikh’s future trips to his Highland hideaway.
It wanted the sheikh to detail how often he and his regal retinue are planning to head north and what the “cumulative traffic impact” will be.
But the sheikh’s agents said previously: “As with the current lodges, the majority of visits to the property are by either coach or helicopter, supported by a fleet of six 4×4 cars for shooting parties/visits.
“There is no recorded data available on frequency of visits or length of duration.”
The sheikh, who is believed to have a fortune in excess of £10 billion, bought the 63,000-acre estate more than 20 years ago for a reported £2 million.
He also founded Emirates Airline.