PLANS have been lodged to renovate a historic castle in Argyll and Bute with the aim of converting it into a family home.
An application for listed building consent for various works at Kilberry Castle has been lodged with Argyll and Bute Council by Berach Estate.
Works planned for the site include renovation of external masonry and windows, formation of a large rear stair from the orangery to the castle, and structural repairs where needed.
Council officers are expected to rule on the application by mid-November, with the public now able to view plans and submit feedback.
A heritage impact statement submitted with the application said: “The castle is proposed to be renovated and returned to use as a private family home. This is a central part of the heritage case for the application.
“Kilberry Castle was historically designed, occupied and adapted as the principal domestic house of Kilberry Estate. Its reception rooms, bedrooms, service spaces, staircases, fireplaces, approach, surrounding policies and relationship with the wider estate all reflect that original domestic purpose.
“Since the sale of the property in 2021, the house has not been lived in. Its condition has continued to deteriorate and the building is no longer suitable for occupation without substantial repair and renovation.
“The present proposals are therefore necessary to bring the building back into active domestic use and to secure its long – term conservation.
“Under the previous ownership, the castle was proposed for a hospitality-led use, including guest accommodation and associated facilities.
“The earlier heritage material described a proposal for guest accommodation, en-suite bedrooms, communal guest spaces, a refurbished conservatory, spa and leisure facilities, and a fire strategy designed around guest use.
“That is no longer the proposed direction for the building. The current ownership proposes to restore Kilberry Castle as a private home, consistent with its original design and historic use. This is a more appropriate and less intensive use in heritage terms.
“It allows the castle to remain a single, coherent house, avoids unnecessary subdivision, and reduces the need for intrusive interventions associated with commercial accommodation, guest circulation, signage, enlarged parking, intensive servicing or hotel -style infrastructure.”
The statement added: “The proposed use will also support the wider stewardship of Kilberry Estate. As the estate’s principal house, the castle has historically sat at the centre of the surrounding land, buildings, gardens, woodland and agricultural activity.
“Bringing it back in to domestic occupation will help restore that relationship and ensure that the main historic building of the estate is lived in, maintained and cared for as part of the estate’s long -term future.”
To view the plans and submit feedback, visit the council’s planning portal at argyll-bute.gov.uk and use the reference number 26/01228/LIB.
