Scottish ‘castle’ and helipads once owned by eccentric millionaire hit market

The West Ingliston Cottage site, formerly Ingliston Castle, extends to some 6.5 acres and is located opposite the Royal Highland Showground. It shares the same access road off the A8 Glasgow Road as the Norton House Hotel & Spa.

The land was once home to the late millionaire businessman Nigel Maby. Inspired by his Spook Erections business, Maby, who also operated Ingliston Sunday Market, created the site during the 1970s and 1980s, shifting around 80,000 tonnes of earth in doing so. Huge boulders were recovered from the construction of the Edinburgh City Bypass to form large, grassed mounds, islands and interconnecting clay ponds which saw wildlife flock to the location. Maby sold to the current owners in 1998.

Iain Mercer, director of commercial agency for Allied Surveyors Scotland, who is handling the sale, said: “West Ingliston Cottage has a unique appeal due to its strategic location opposite the Royal Highland Showground and Edinburgh Airport while also being close to RBS’s global headquarters and the planned West Town development. Quite apart from the two houses, the separately accessed helicopter pads offer scalable commercial potential to an ambitious operator while the land could potentially be developed.”

He added: “Due to the uniqueness of this sale, pricing will be quoted on application and we are encouraging early viewings - the site really has to be seen to be believed.”

West Ingliston Cottage has three bedrooms, including master en-suite, a living room, kitchen and bathroom. The other property on the site, known as The Lodge, was rescued by the current owners and now consists of one bedroom plus an open kitchen and living area and conservatory. Featured within is African mahogany wood flooring recovered from Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

Allied Surveyors Scotland is one of the country’s largest independent firms of chartered surveyors, with 30 offices across Scotland, providing a range of professional property services including residential and commercial valuations, home reports, commercial agency and building consultancy. The firm employs around 140 people.