Demolition of former Jimmy Savile cottage resumes

Work to demolish a cottage in Glen Coe formerly owned by Jimmy Savile has resumed following a delay, the site's owners have confirmed.

Savile, uncovered as one of Britain's most prolific sex offenders, owned Allt-na-Reigh cottage in Glen Coe for about 13 years from 1998.

The Highland property on the A82 has been repeatedly vandalised and damaged in a fire since details of the former TV personality's abuse emerged following his death in 2011.

Work to bulldoze the cottage started in March last year, but could not be completed until a building warrant and other necessary approvals were fully issued.

A new home is to be built on the site.

A spokesperson for the owner, Scottish entrepreneur Harris Aslam, said: "We are grateful to Highland Council for their swift support in approving a demolition warrant for Allt-na-Reigh, and for their continued assistance as the project progresses."

They added: "The site has been fully secured, and we respectfully ask members of the public to refrain from accessing the area while demolition and subsequent construction works are ongoing in the interest of safety."

The spokesperson said the Aslam family recognised the "significance" of the location due to its striking backdrop of the Three Sisters mountains, and its association with the celebrated Scottish climber and inventor Dr Hamish MacInnes.

Highland Council said the paperwork was approved late last month.

Councillors unanimously approved the demolition plans in June 2024.

The proposed redevelopment includes honouring MacInnes, another of the cottage's former owners.

The mountaineer, who died in 2020, invented types of ice axes and also a stretcher that is used by mountain rescue teams all over the world.

He constructed many of his designs in outbuildings next to the cottage.

The property has a long history and over the years it served as a house on a croft and as a road workers' cottage.