Savile's Glen Coe home to be demolished and rebuilt in tribute to a mountaineering legend

New owners of a Highland cottage which was once home to notorious paedophile Jimmy Savile have announced they will demolish the building and rebuild it in memory of a more celebrated former owner.

Allt-Na-Reigh cottage in Glen Coe was owned by Savile from 1998 until his death in 2011 and has reportedly been subject to repeated vandalism in the years since his death.

However, before Savile, the property was home to Dr Hamish McInnes – the late mountaineering legend who pioneered the wider mountain rescue movement in Scotland after forming the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team.

In March this year, the cottage was purchased by the family of retail tycoon Harris Aslam, the director of Fife-based Scottish convenience store operator Eros Retail, who decided they would let the locals have their say on the future of the property.

As part of an online public consultation held on September 7, Mr Aslam showcased plans to demolish the current cottage and replace it with a contemporary home designed by Dundee based architects, Jon Frullani Architect.

Mr Aslam said: “We envisage this truly magnificent location to host a family home which takes advantage of the charming scenery overlooking the Three Sisters of Glencoe, the Bidean nam Bian Mountain.

"The proposed design of the home is in character with Scottish landscape by using materials such as locally sourced natural stone and quality thermo-pine timber.

"Further, we intend for both the construction and ongoing operating of the home to be carbon neutral by ensuring we use local materials and contractors as well as looking at solutions such as solar energy and ground source heat pumps.”

A 3D visual of the proposed building to replace Allt-Na-Reigh cottage in the Highlands.

It was made clear during the consultation that Mr Aslam, together with his cousin and business partner Raza Rehman, had considered the option of renovating the existing building, which would have been the “easiest and cheapest option”.

However, in a bid to rid the association with the reviled former occupant, it was decided that the building must be torn down.

One of the attendees suggested that if the building “in its current form stays there, it will be a target to those who do not know the history”.

A 3D visual of the proposed building to replace Allt-Na-Reigh cottage in the Highlands.

Other attendees welcomed the prospect of the site being used to celebrate Dr MacInnes, also known as the Fox of Glencoe.

To pay tribute to his legacy, the proposals show that an outbuilding - where Dr MacInnes invented his well-known mountain rescue stretcher the MacInnes - will remain on site, but see an upgrade to make the building habitable and fit for purpose.

Mr Frullani, of Jon Frullani Architect, said: “Having been briefed on this project over twelve months ago, this has been a rather exciting project albeit not without its challenges.

"We are delighted to have created a proposal using the natural contours of the site thereby ensuring the building is located within the landscape and not on it.

"This not only fits our clients brief though has also been very well received by the local community and local organisations at the public consultation held earlier.”

Proposals are expected to be lodged with the Highland Council for formal planning permission later this month, with a view to works commencing next year should permission be granted.

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