Balbirnie House Makes Planning Submission for 12 Beautiful New Woodland Cabins

We are absolutely delighted to confirm that we have now made a planning submission for 12 beautiful new woodland cabins. 

These are modern Scandinavian cabins which seamlessly blend the comfort of hotel accommodation with an immersive experience in nature. Simplicity, minimalism, elegance. 

The project seeks to provide the new installations with very clever design with an absolute regard to history, and how modern era design and architecture can be best incorporated within this. 

(Image via www.kongacabins.com)

Subject to achieving planning consent, and confirming that project funding of £1.1M is fully in place, back in November 2024 we notified all future clients that we hoped to potentially open the new cabins in Spring 2026. We will of course fully update as and when we have more information. 

Please note, if proceeding there is no onsite cabin construction, the cabins arrive via lorry, already fully constructed, and are lifted into position by crane. 

As such, the proposed woodland cabins are technically moveable, and do not require excavated foundations. This aspect has been completely fundamental to the design process, which has profoundly and respectfully reflected on centuries of evolution, and the evolving history of Balbirnie's gardens and landscape. 

The entire project has been designed to have the lowest possible impact on landscape and nature. The design overview has been achieved with the loss of six trees, which on a new planting basis however, will be replaced with ten trees. The project also sets out new hazel hedge planting. 

In addition, new bat and bird boxes will be fitted to mature trees within the woodlands, which will improve the suitability of the site even further for these species.

Having opened as a hotel back in 1989, Balbirnie House has provided the backdrop for a truly incredible number of weddings, private and corporate special events. Many weddings for example, have in the region of 100 day guests, however we only have existing bedroom accommodation within Balbirnie for 75 guests. If proceeding, the new woodland cabins will now enable us to provide accommodation for the entire 100 guests. 

We originally set out on this project to incorporate 15 woodland cabins. As the design progressed via ecology survey, woodland survey, topography survey, engineering survey, and ongoing input from landscape architect and planning consultant, this then saw the project being very purposefully restricted to 12 woodland cabins. This very specifically, to make absolutely sure that the end result would be able to completely acknowledge history and landscape. 

As the main priority, the design project has therefore safeguarded the characteristics of the historic environment. 

Screenshots from 2025 planning submission:

Taking us then to 2025, and a total focus on how the cabins can be integrated into Retained Landscape Features, and of course sited well away from the main key specimen trees. 

Taking us then, to Design Proposal: 

In addition to Balbirnie's tens of thousands of annual wedding guests, the cabins will also be a great future destination for individual and group bedroom reservations. 

The entire planning submission is now available online via Fife Council at (weblink will add when Fife Council link goes live)

Within the entire fully comprehensive submission, there is a section of narrative (within Planning Statement, section 5) from Balbirnie House, detailing business plan and justification for plans. 

If anyone reading this blog wishes to add a few online words of support for the project, this is possible as well. Specifically, the project will help financially support the continuing maintenance, safeguarding and improvements in and around Balbirnie House, as one of Scotland's most important category A listed 1777 national treasures. The project will support existing employment, and has scope to create new employment. The project will also benefit tourism in Fife. The new cabins will mean that Balbirnie House can make a greater contribution to the tax system. And furthermore, there will be additional business across the span of our many suppliers. This is all achieved within a contemporary design driven by respect for history, nature, biodiversity, sustainability, and environment. 

Our sincere thanks to everyone who has worked on the project: 

Design team: 

Balbirnie House: MD Nicholas Russell

Legal: Stephanie Hepburn and Emma De Sailly / Shepherd and Wedderburn

Site digitalised mapping: Caroline Webster / Savills UK 

Planning Consultancy: Neil Gray / Gray Planning and Development

Woodland Cabins: Paulius Valiulis / Konga Cabins

Landscape Architect: Ngaire Burston and Liane Bauer / Rankin Fraser

Ecology and Tree Surveys: Nigel Astell / Astell Associates

Engineering Survey: John Chapman / Ardent Consulting Engineers

Topography Survey: David Linnen / Linnen CES