Desire for a more tranquil pace of life in the countryside fuels demand at stunning Highland Perthshire estate

As more and more people look to downsize out of the cities and towns to a more fresh air lifestyle in the country, the interest in rural, sustainable residential estates continues to grow.

Balloch Park, Kenmore. Pic: Archie McLaren.

One such example is Balloch Park, a residential, buy to let and holiday home development near the village of Kenmore in Highland Perthshire, which announced that it has only five of its luxury timber lodges left for sale in the second phase.

Priced from £192,900, the lodges are fully customised to suit each buyer’s individual requirements, with esteemed local builders, Blairish Restorations, in charge of the construction of each bespoke property.

“Sales have been progressing really well at Balloch Park in the past year, with an increasing number of over-55s looking to downsize out of the big cities to a more tranquil pace of life in the beautiful Highland Perthshire countryside,” explained Peter Bancroft, estate manager for Mains of Taymouth Country Estate, which owns the development.

Open plan living area. Pic: Archie McLaren.

“We had a couple of retirees who moved in before the first lockdown. They told us they felt very safe here and we’ve created a little community that looks out for everyone.

“We’ve also seen a stream of buyers looking to secure one of these lodges as a holiday home they can enjoy for many years to come. We have the most idyllic setting to offer them, with Drummond Hill on one side, and the River Tay on the other.

“Many of our final lodges enjoy a riverside setting and there are a number of cycling and walking trails direct from the estate. Fresh air and healthy living is certainly the theme for staycations in 2021, and there are few locations where you are right in amongst rare wildlife such as otters, beavers, waterfowl and birds of prey.”

Balloch Park is being created with an eye firmly on its carbon footprint, with all lodges constructed from fully sustainable timber, and utilising energy efficient features.“The development, which was many years in the planning, is maturing beautifully now as we complete phase two,” said Peter. “It’s always been a privilege to have such an inspiring setting to offer a development such as this with our lodges blending into the existing environment. Blairish Restorations have an excellent reputation and are responsible for many of our new build holiday home properties on the main estate.”

Buyers are able to have a say in the layout of their lodges, subject to build schedule and time of reservation, and they can also dictate decoration of the properties and add indulgent extras such as log burning stoves and a sauna.

“This flexibility is really important,” added Peter, “as we have people using these lodges for different purposes. Those making them a permanent home will be looking for a slightly different room configuration for example, than those buying to let, or as their own holiday home which numerous family members may use.”

All remaining lodges are equipped with three bedrooms, including master bedroom en-suite, but buyers can opt to have a lodge with two larger bedrooms if they wish. Other features in these five star properties include luxury dressing rooms, fully fitted kitchens with stainless steel appliances, stunning open plan living areas, and main bathrooms with his and her sinks.

For further details on the development, visit www.ballochparksales.co.uk.