Plans lodged for revamp of historic Fetlar property into small hotel
PLANS have now been submitted to transform the deteriorating Brough Lodge in Fetlar into a four-bedroom boutique hotel.
The planning application relates to the first phase of restoration of the A-listed building, which was built in 1825 and is now owed by the European Heritage Project.
A planning statement from Malcolmson Architects said the first phase will create a “small, high-quality guest house” in the unoccupied estate.
It said investment is concentrated on the “repair, occupation and ongoing maintenance” of the principle listed building.
Future phases, including additional visitor accommodation and associated facilities elsewhere within the estate, remain under consideration and will be brought forward through separate applications as proposals develop.
The planning statement also says the current brief is “more focused and phased” compared to earlier proposals of a larger hospital and wellness facility, with less emphasis now placed on commercial return.
Previous proposals featured around 24 guest bedrooms, event facilities and ancillary accommodation.
The statement adds that the design approach is “focused on retaining and repairing surviving historic fabric wherever possible, reinstating lost architectural features where appropriate”.
“Although adapted to operate as a small hotel, accommodation will be limited to managed private groups rather than individual walk-in guests,” it continued.
“As a result, the building will continue to function as a large house very similar to its original domestic use.”
Given the absence of a retained fire service on the island, with the island’s dormant station set to be sold off, fire protection is said to be a “significant consideration”.
The installation of a sprinkler system is currently being evaluated in consultation with the owner and the mechanical and electrical engineers.
The planning statement said Brough Lodge is recognised for its “architectural, archaeological, historic and landscape value”.
But having remained vacant for several decades, Brough Lodge is now said to be in a “severely deteriorated condition”.
The planning statement said that although stabilisation works undertaken in 2010 slowed the rate of decay, “continued exposure to the harsh maritime environment has resulted in further deterioration and the building remains at significant risk”.
European Heritage Project, an organisation which specialises in preserving historic buildings, bought the property in 2023.
Unoccupied since the 1980s, the estate was previously owned by the Brough Lodge Trust which put it up for sale for offers over £30,000.
The planning statement concluded: “Ultimately, the proposals provide a realistic opportunity to bring one of Shetland’s most important historic buildings back into active use and establish a sustainable framework for the future care of the building and estate, ensuring that Brough Lodge remains a valued part of Shetland’s historic environment for generations to come.”
Also in the European Heritage Project’s portfolio are a number of grand properties in central Europe, including castles, palaces, churches and city residences.
Brough Lodge is the organisation’s first project in the UK.
European Heritage Project’s Professor Dr Peter Löw previously descried the Fetlar property as “not only one of the most northern examples of neogothic architecture in Europe but also an important sample of medieval or premedieval culture”.
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