A reclusive billionaire has slashed the price of his home in the Scottish Highlands by £12million.
Canadian telecoms tycoon Brendan Clouston put his stunning mansion and 546-acre Eilean Aigas island estate in Inverness-shire on the market in 2012 with an asking price of £15million.
It came a year after he tried to block the forced sale of part of his land to make way for a controversial power scheme.
But after almost three years on the market, the property on the River Beauly is now scheduled to go to auction in September for a price in excess of #3million if it has not sold.
Mr Clouston, friend of Bill Gates, no longer spends long spells at Eilean Aigas and relocated to his home in the Channel Islands.
Evelyn Channing of Savill’s in Edinburgh said: “It really is an extraordinary house, very imposing and grand but hidden and private at the same time.”
The four-storey mansion house was built in 2006 on a high bank above a river on the eastern side of the island and is modelled on the original hunting lodge.
The island features the mansion, a gate house and hunting lodge, which are surrounded by mature woodland and parkland.
Logs for open fires are brought in via service lifts to individual rooms with back stairs allowing staff and guests to move around without imposing on the principal reception rooms.
In the selling notes from Savills it said the design “creates a peaceful ambience and tranquillity in harmony with the surroundings”.
Energy giant SSE applied for a compulsory purchase order for his land, which lies in a narrow strip between Eskadale and Hughton.
Mr Clouston helped finance the local campaign group Pylon Pressure and gave evidence at the public inquiry into SSE’s plans.
In 2012, a spokesman for Mr Clouston confirmed the new power line had contributed to his decision to sell the island estate.
Mr Clouston could not be reached for comment.
