Spa and villas get go ahead

Glencruitten House was given planning permission in 2025 to operate as a hotel, with applications for  eight more houses on its site also given the go-ahead.

Argyll and Bute Council planning officers have now rubber-stamped an application to convert a house into a spa at South Lodge, while a further two villas can also be built on land near the main house.

In a handling report on the spa application, a council officer said the proposed spa facility would have a reception area, three treatment rooms, WCs, shower and a rest area. Outside, the application proposes two hot tubs and a spa pool to the back and south of the main spa building, partially dug into the ground.

Spa treatments to be offered will include massage, facials, manicures and pedicures with anticipated hours of operation being 10am to 6pm daily, mainly for hotel guests who would walk there from the main hotel complex. Appointments for members of the public would also be made available.

The proposed spa facility will provide three full time members of staff, one in administration/reception and two trained spa therapists, planners heard.

According to the bid’s supporting statement: “The proposed spa facility is situated a sufficient distance from the nearest neighbouring residential properties to the south, which, together with the topography of the intervening landscape, will ensure that the use of the property as a spa will not give rise to any significant adverse impact on the established amenity currently afforded to these properties.

“Officers are satisfied that the proposed development has been carefully and sympathetically considered, retaining, repairing and extending the existing building to provide the proposed spa facility.

“The introduction of a natural stone finish to the exterior of the development will link with the wider Glencruitten House development achieving a visually cohesive scheme.”

While the spa application received no representations from the public, the council received two neutral representations on the application for the two new villas.

An official said: “Whilst it is accepted that the proposed villas will be visible from Glencruitten House, the proposed villas will be viewed in the context of the rising backdrop of mature woodland to the west ensuring that they do not skyline or result in any significant adverse visual impact and ensuring that they will not be readily visible from many public vantage points.”