By Ian McConnell

AN “exclusive” 16-home development on the shores of Loch Fyne has been launched to market by Strutt & Parker, after the property agent sold the first 50 per cent of the houses “off plan” last week.

The first release of the 16-unit project at Strachur, which is being undertaken by residential development firm Detail, is due to be completed in early summer next year, with the remainder of the houses finished by the end of 2022.

The development comprises seven four-bedroom homes with double garages, a further seven three-bedroom homes with single garages, and two three-bedroom “upside-down” homes with roof terraces, ranging from fixed prices of £399,000 to £499,000.

Strutt & Parker said: “The land upon which the houses will sit was formerly crofted and provided arable and livestock produce to the original owners, the MacLennan family, over several generations.

“As such, the buildings will echo ancient subconscious symbols of settlement including iron-age roundhouses and highland black houses, evoked through tent-like roofs and chimneys. The finished development will be a collection of homes that share a visual language, giving a sense of community and enclosure, and dispersed across the site to emulate a natural randomness of an evolved village.”

Natalie Simpson, head of Strutt & Parker’s Edinburgh office, said: “We’ve been blown away by the popularity of this development and the timing of coming to the market has been perfect. For those who’ve already been successful in securing their home here, Birlinn Brae ticked those boxes in terms of escaping to a tranquil and beautiful part of Scotland while still being within reach of Glasgow city, at a time when many are re-evaluating their need to be in the city full time. It’s fantastic to play a part in the sale of these homes, and I’m excited by working with firms like Detail, who push the boundaries of design and aesthetic when it comes to bringing new homes in the market. The Birlinn Brae development, when completed, will be a prime example of how to marry a rural landscape with innovative building and design, for which there is much demand.”

Gordon Russell, founding partner of Detail said: “Birlinn Brae is a creative response seeking to align the demands of the home as a ‘machine for living’ with the stunning environment we enjoy on Scotland’s West Coast while balancing resources, technology and aesthetic. We intend this to the betterment and benefit of those who come to dwell within.”