A sprawling 639-acre golf course in Perthshire, Scotland, built by UAE billionaire Mahdi al-Tajir, has been put up for sale. Dubbed a 'ghost' resort, the Gleneagles 'gWest' site was developed by al-Tajir, owner of Highland Spring, almost two decades ago, with only he, his family, and select guests having utilized the facilities.
Designed by celebrated architect David McLay Kidd, who reportedly described it as "the best inland site I've ever seen for a golf course," the property features an 18-hole championship course and a clubhouse shell. At its conception, the resort was envisioned as one of Europe's largest leisure complexes, intended to rival the prestigious nearby five-star Gleneagles hotel and promised significant economic benefits, including over 1,000 jobs. However, the ambitious plans were hampered by a confluence of factors including the global recession, the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and Brexit.
Independent property consultancy Knight Frank is now handling the sale, with offers being invited for the estate. The site includes existing planning consent for up to 170 residential plots, a hotel and spa, leisure and entertainment facilities, and staff accommodation. Euan Kelly, partner at Knight Frank Edinburgh, described gWest as a "once-in-a-lifetime asset" and anticipates substantial global interest.
"It is incredibly rare that an opportunity like gWest becomes available," Kelly stated to The Times. "We're expecting a huge amount of interest from across the globe in what could be a once-in-a-lifetime asset: a substantial consented resort development site, with a golf course designed by a celebrated architect, on Scotland's most prestigious leisure locations."
He added that while the site's original ambitions have not been fully realized, a sale could provide the impetus for their advancement, enhancing Scotland's and Perthshire's tourism offerings. The golf course itself was completed in 2009, with initial plans also encompassing a six-star hotel and luxury properties valued up to £3 million. The property was developed by the family of Mahdi Al Tajir, who served as the first United Arab Emirates ambassador to the UK and also owns the Keir House estate near Stirling. The golf course has seen very limited play, with notable exceptions including Swedish professional Henrik Stenson and Scottish European Tour professionals David Drysdale and Peter Whiteford, along with the University of Stirling's golf team.
Scotland boasts approximately 560 golf courses, representing about one-fifth of the UK's total. The golf industry in Scotland generated an estimated £2.7 billion in revenue in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with projections indicating an increase to £3 billion for 2025-26. Mahdi Al Tajir, identified as one of Scotland's wealthiest individuals in 2010 with an estimated fortune of £1.6 billion, also owns the bottled water company Highland Spring.