Home / Environment / Torpedo Station Reborn as Luxury Retreat
Torpedo Station Reborn as Luxury Retreat
27 May
Summary
- A former torpedo testing station will be redeveloped into a hotel and holiday homes.
- The 11-hectare site in Arrochar has been derelict since 1986.
- The new development includes a hotel, lodges, glamping pods, and a play area.
A former Ministry of Defence torpedo testing station in Arrochar, Argyll & Bute, is slated for a significant redevelopment, transforming the derelict site into a hotel and holiday homes. The 11-hectare grounds, which have been disused since 1986 and marred by fly-tipping and vandalism, will now host a 34-bedroom hotel, numerous holiday homes, lodges, and glamping pods.
The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority approved the proposal by Ardnagal Estates, citing its potential to resolve a long-standing issue for the local community and environment. The development, which will also feature an outdoor play area, aims to enhance biodiversity by removing invasive plant species. Developers have pledged to safeguard the site's natural environment and improve public access to the loch via a revitalized pier.
First opened in 1912, the station played a crucial role in testing torpedoes manufactured nearby, with over 12,000 fired down the loch during World War Two. Previous redevelopment plans for a 130-bedroom hotel faded nearly a decade ago. Ardnagal Estates acquired the site in 2021 and will now advance this project, which also aims to distribute visitors more evenly around the loch.
