Former mental hospital is centrepiece of new luxury housing development in splendid countryside location

Set in 64-acres of magnificent mature grounds in the Angus countryside, the exceptional Sunnyside Estate has unveiled a new showhome and properties available to buy.

The former Sunnyside Royal Hospital has been converted into luxury apartments.

Located in the affluent Hillside area just outside of Montrose, the former Sunnyside Royal Hospital building forms the centrepiece of the estate, which boasts a combination of luxury apartments and family homes.

Sunnyside Estates Ltd, a joint venture between Edinburgh-based luxury developer FM Group and local company Pert Bruce Construction, purchased the hospital site from NHS Tayside in 2016.

The main former hospital building – Sunnyside Mansion – is being refurbished to the highest standards into spacious luxury apartments and townhouses suitable for retirement living.

The Woods showhome.

The Grade A listed building dates back to 1781 when it was founded by Susan Carnegie as the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary, the first public asylum in Scotland, and among the first in the English-speaking world.

In 1948, the name of the institution was changed from the Royal Asylum of Montrose to the Royal Mental Hospital of Montrose, then in 1962 it became Sunnyside Royal Hospital. After the introduction of Care in the Community in the early 1980s, the hospital went into a period of decline and, eventually, it closed in December 2011.

Sunnyside Mansion will comprise a selection of luxurious and spacious two, three and four-bedroom townhouses and apartments. Each property will offer generously proportioned accommodation finished to a modern high standard using quality materials and craftsmanship yet within a traditional setting. These are priced from £220,000.

Houses on the estate are located in two new mature woodland settings – The Woods and The Orchard.

The Woods showhome - living area.

The Woods comprises a selection of airy and spacious new build four and five-bedroom family homes set within mature woodlands, offering a secluded, semi-rural setting within the development.

The selected house styles offer generous family living spaces, including separate lounges and open plan kitchen/dining rooms which open on to additional family sitting areas, quality fitted German kitchens, double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, two en-suite shower rooms and family bathroom.

Externally the properties offer large-paved driveways, integral garages, and boundaries finished in beech hedging, to complement the woodland setting. These are priced from £359,000.

The Orchard offers a selection of roomy and practical two bedroom bungalows and three bedroom, detached and semi-detached villas, bounded by mature woodlands with a woodland walk.

The Woods showhome - living room.

These spacious family homes will be finished to a high standard using quality materials and craftsmanship throughout. Externally the properties offer paved driveways and boundaries finished in beech hedging. These are priced from £199,950.

Residents will also be able to enjoy access to a community facility located in the original recreation hall of Sunnyside Mansion. The development will be linked by a network of walkway and cycle routes through the open landscaped and woodland areas.

Craig Bruce, from Pert Bruce Construction, said: “We are delighted to be bringing these superb properties to the market and launch our new stunning showhome. This is an unrivalled opportunity to live in an exceptional development, the centrepiece of which is the iconic Sunnyside Mansion.

“Given a desire for an increasing number of people to seek country living, especially given the impacts of lockdown, we are providing a rural setting but with excellent road and rail links to Aberdeen, Dundee and beyond.”

For more information, visit www.sunnysideestate.co.uk.