Course clear for £50m golf hotel

The plans would see a £50m hotel built next to the golf club

Plans to build a £50m hotel beside a golf course in the Scottish Borders have been recommended for approval.

The move would transform the Rutherford Castle Golf Club near West Linton with developers saying up to 300 jobs could be created in the process.

The proposals would see a 150-bedroom, five-star hotel constructed, including conference and leisure facilities.

Scottish Borders Council's planning committee has been recommended to back the plans when it meets next week.

Rutherford Castle Golf Club sits north of the village of West Linton, about 15 miles south of Edinburgh.

Applicants, Manor Kingdom Estates Ltd and De Vere, said the new hotel could increase tourism in the area.

The proposed erection of a 150-bed hotel, leisure and conference facility within the Scottish Borders region would represent a huge boost Brian Frater Scottish Borders Council

In a statement they said: "Our vision is to deliver the first truly world class hotel and conference facility in the Scottish Borders at Rutherford Castle.

"The established parkland golf course provides a quality setting for this major investment in the Scottish Borders.

"This hotel will be comparable to the standards set by Gleneagles, Turnberry, Cameron House and St Andrews Bay resort hotels."

A number of objections have been received to the plans.

They include concerns about the building being out of keeping with the area and the increase in traffic.

However, SBC head of planning, Brian Frater, has recommended approval of the plans with a string of conditions.

He said: "The proposed erection of a 150-bed hotel, leisure and conference facility within the Scottish Borders region would represent a huge boost, not just to the tourist industry, but also to the economy of the area.

"The proposed hotel would result in inward investment of around £50m."

The plans will be discussed by the council when it meets on Monday.