Shrouded in mystery, the story of the 639-acre golf estate, officially known as gWest and described by the architect who designed it, David McLay Kidd, as “the best inland site I’ve ever seen for a golf course”, is quite the page turner.
Effectively unused and standing empty since being developed between 2007–2009, the 639 acres of land with an 18-hole championship golf course has been described as a ‘ghost resort’, which may see colour revived after being put up for sale this month.
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gWest is “Scotland’s best kept secret”
Just down the road from the iconic Gleneagles championship course in Perthshire, gWest was purchased by the billionaire family of UK-based, Bahrain-born businessman Mahdi Al Tajir in 2007.
Al-Tajir, once ranked as Scotland’s richest man with an estimated net worth of US$ 2 billion, is a former UAE ambassador to the UK and France. His holdings include London’s Park Tower hotel and Highland Spring water.
Among other interests that include finance, metals and oil sectors, Al-Tajir has a sizeable real estate portfolio, allegedly purchasing a plot on ‘Billionaire Row’ London’s The Bishops Avenue for £18 million in 2018 as well Keir House, his 18,000-acre Stirlingshire estate where he spends most of his time. His Scottish golf resort, however, lies empty.
Despite being completed in 2009, family members, understood to be Al-Tajir’s sons, and a small group of invited guests are reportedly the only people to have teed off at gWest.
A still online gWest-branded website promises the ambitious plans for the Perthshire golf estate, with a six-star hotel, residences valued at £3 million-plus plots, a clubhouse, wellness amenities spa and membership offered to guests and investors when the resort opened to the public in 2007.
The site lists the developer as Ochil Developments (UK) Ltd, which is wholly owned by the ALTAJIR Group.
“Largely inaccessible to the public and patrolled by security, the would-be playground for the elite, was hailed as Scotland's 'ghost course' – casualty of economic and political crosswinds ”
The financial crisis the following year, however, put the kibosh on the ambitious plans for the Perthshire golf estate and community to rival Gleneagle, shuttering to the public after a number of delayed launches further derailed by Scotland’s independence referendum and later Brexit.
Largely inaccessible to the public and patrolled by security, the would-be playground for the rich and famous was hailed as Scotland’s ‘ghost course’ – a casualty of economic and political crosswinds that would repeatedly buffer financial validity and projected opening dates.
To bring to Gleneagles-calibre, Highland Spring owner’s son, Mohsin al-Tajir, said in 2010 that completing the development could require a further investment of between £50 million to £100 million.
Intact, well maintained and with development plans for a world-class golf infrastructure in place, the entire 639-acre estate is up for sale, including the 18-hole course, the clubhouse shell and planning consent for as many as 170 homes, a hotel, spa, wellness facilities and staff accommodation.
Knight Frank has been appointed by the ALTAJIR Group to find a buyer. No guide price has been disclosed.
Who is in the running to buy?
With infrastructure already in place and a prime location adjacent to world-famous Gleneagles, there is potential to create a world-class legacy asset to rival Scotland’s top golfing estates.
Knight Frank expects the ‘once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity’ to own a golf course designed by a celebrated architect, in one of Scotland’s most prestigious leisure locations’ to attract ‘huge interest’. Significant global interest is expected from investors and dedicated leisure and hospitality developers.
In the running may be Cabot, the self-styled “luxury developer of exceptional golf, hospitality, and real estate destinations” , or a private investor with a real estate portfolio linked to top-tier golfing communities.
There has been robust Gulf investor appetite for UK hospitality assets, particularly the golf and wellness resort sector, which is increasingly viewed as resilient long-term investments tied to experiential and high-end travel trends
A growing number of UAE and Saudi Arabia-based developers and investors have in recent years embarked on aggressive acquisition strategies, acquiring land regionally and across the globe in a bid to create billion-dollar golfing empires. Scotland’s golfing pedigree is a particular draw for Emirati capital.
US President Donal Trump’s Organisation, which recently expanded into Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Trump International Golf Club in Wadi Safar, owns two major luxury golf resorts and estates in Scotland, Balmedie and Trump MacLeod House & Lodge. Adding another site ripe for Trump-branded redevelopment may be on the cards.
A bold proposition in a sector growing at pace
Marketing the property, Euan Kelly, partner at Knight Frank Edinburgh, said: “While the bold ambitions for the site have yet to fully come to fruition, a sale could see them take an important step forward and add another destination to Scotland’s, and Perthshire’s, strong tourist offering.”
According to data supplied by the agent, the UK golf sector generated an estimated £2.7 billion in revenue during 2024–25, with projections approaching £3 billion for 2025–26. Scotland hosts approximately 560-600 golf courses – representing roughly 20% of the UK total – and remains a central destination for international golf tourism.
Industry forecasts estimate the global golf tourism market will grow from £18.68 billion ($24.8 billion) in 2026 to £29.53 billion ($39.2 billion) by 2036, driven by rising demand for integrated leisure and wellness destinations.
