Published: Friday, 12th December, 2008 11:46am

Jobs and tourism boost as hotel gets go-ahead

by Ally McGilvray

IT will create up to 400 jobs and attract more than 100,000 visitors to Peeblesshire every year.

And work will begin on the £50 million building project early in the New Year.

This week, Manor Kingdom Estates was granted planning permission by Scottish Borders Council to build a five-star 150-bedroom luxury hotel, with leisure and conferencing suites, near West Linton.

Councillors on the local authority"s planning committee heard it will rival some of the best hotels in the world and should be open before the end of 2010.

And plans are being tee-ed up to improve the neighbouring golf course to championship standard.

Councillor Vicky Davidson, the local authority"s Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, told the Peeblesshire News: 'This is a great vote of confidence in the Borders and a recognition by Manor Kingdom and De Vere that the region is both a top-quality destination for visitors and a good place to do business.

'This is exactly the kind of investment we need at this time. Not only will the hotel and conference centre create up to 300 jobs in the West Linton area and be a major boost to tourism in the area, but with construction hopefully getting under way early in 2009, this will provide a significant number of construction jobs.'

Set in 18 acres, the traditionally-designed Rutherford Castle Hotel will include a deluxe spa and leisure club, relaxing cafés to fine dining, whisky lounge, a grand ballroom and a 300-capacity conference centre.

It will be run in partnership with hotel operator De Vere, who already run nearby Barony Castle and celebrity haunt Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond, Dunbartonshire.

Speaking of De Vere"s plans for the golf course, spokesman Brian McCarthy, said: 'Ultimately our vision is that the hotel will act as a catalyst to improving the existing Rutherford Castle golf course to championship

standard and ultimately attracting a PGA event to the area, as has been

done at the De Vere Carrick Golf Course at Cameron House.'

Rutherford Castle Golf Club was created in the late 1990s by farmer

Henry Wallace. Following his death in 1999 the course was sold to the development company Manor Kingdom.

Manor Kingdom Estates spokesperson Mark Cummings said: 'We believe our hotel will represent what the Scottish Borders aspires to offer its locals and its visitors over and above the mainstream available in Central Scotland and that the Scottish Borders, if not Scotland as a whole, will benefit from this investment and new employment opportunities.'

A number of objections were received regarding the plans mainly

concerned with the visual impact of the site on the surrounding area and

an increased flow of traffic.

However, De Vere and Manor Kingdom Estates met with local community leaders at Barony Castle in October to allay any fears regarding traffic flow and visual impact.

They also reaffirmed their stance as regards locals benefiting from any

resulting jobs and declaring how the new hotel would increase tourism in

the area.

Mr Cummings added: 'Our investment of £50 million can come forward within the next two years and we look forward to starting the work in early 2009 with a hope that we can complete the project before the end of 2010.'

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