One of Scotland's most enigmatic golfing developments has been put up for sale almost two decades after ambitions were unveiled for a luxury resort intended to rival nearby Gleneagles.
The 639-acre gWest estate at Blackford, Perthshire, has been brought to market by property consultancy Knight Frank, reigniting interest in a project that has become known within golf circles as Scotland's "ghost course."Located immediately west of Gleneagles, the development includes an 18-hole championship course designed by Scottish architect David McLay Kidd, whose previous projects include Bandon Dunes in Oregon and the Castle Course at St. Andrews. Kidd once described the site as "the best inland site I've ever seen for a golf course."
The estate also includes
a clubhouse shell inspired by 18th-century Scottish architect Colen Campbell and holds planning consent for up to 170 homes, a hotel and spa, leisure and entertainment facilities, and staff accommodation.Despite the scale of those ambitions, the wider resort was never completed. The course itself was finished in 2009 but has remained largely inaccessible to the public, with only a small number of invited guests believed to have played it over the years.
The project was developed by the family of billionaire businessman Mahdi Al Tajir, founder of Highland Spring and a former UAE ambassador to the UK. He acquired the Keir Estate in Perthshire in 1975 and subsequently expanded his landholdings around Blackford, where the development was later conceived.
Originally known through development companies carrying the name Gleneagles West, the project aimed to create a high-end golf and leisure destination in one of Scotland's most prestigious tourism corridors. Industry reports over the years suggested plans included luxury homes worth millions of pounds and a six-star hotel.
However, a combination of factors including the global financial crisis, political uncertainty surrounding Scotland's independence referendum, and Brexit-related concerns have all been cited as reasons why the wider vision failed to progress. Knight Frank now believes a new owner could finally unlock the site's potential.
Euan Kelly, partner at Knight Frank Edinburgh, said: "It is incredibly rare that an opportunity like gWest becomes available.
"We're expecting a huge amount of interest from across the globe in what could be a once-in-a-lifetime asset: a substantial consented resort development site, with a golf course designed by a celebrated architect, in one of Scotland's most prestigious leisure locations.
"While the bold ambitions for the site have yet to fully come to fruition, a sale could see them take an important step forward and add another destination to Scotland's, and Perthshire's, strong tourist offering."
No guide price has been disclosed. The sale nevertheless represents the most significant development in years for a project that has spent much of its life hidden from view despite occupying one of the most sought-after locations in Scottish golf.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 'Once-in-a-lifetime asset': Scotland's enigmatic ghost course hits the market
