A prominent BBC presenter has decided to sell her secluded private island for an impressive price of £3 million, which is home to a unique animal species rarely found in the UK.
Renowned TV and radio host Kirsty Young acquired Inchconnachan island on Scotland’s famed Loch Lomond for £1.6 million in 2020 along with her husband Nick Jones, the founder of the exclusive private members’ club chain Soho House. However, the couple is now seeking to offload the property after their original plans for the tranquil location did not materialize.
Inchconnachan island, also known as “Wallaby Island,” harbors a group of red-necked wallabies, the only wild population of its kind in Scotland. Previously owned by the aristocratic Colquhoun family, the island has remained uninhabited for the past twenty years, featuring a dilapidated cabin and lush woodlands that serve as the habitat for the wallabies, believed to have been introduced in the 1940s as part of the clan’s private assortment.
Lady Arran Colquhoun reportedly relocated the wallabies from her Hertfordshire residence to the Scottish isle post-World War II, where they have thrived since then. Originally envisioning the transformation of the untouched 100-acre island into a short-term holiday rental home complete with a boathouse and jetty, the couple aimed to employ conservation wardens to oversee the preservation efforts and ensure the wallabies’ protection. The application for this initiative was submitted in 2021.
Luxury real estate agency Sotheby’s has listed the island, presenting two purchasing options for interested buyers. Inchconnachan island can be acquired with planning permission for £3 million or as a fully developed investment for £10 million, inclusive of the construction of a deluxe retreat that may require up to two years for completion.
Described as providing “exceptional seclusion” and boasting “elevated viewpoints and a sweeping shoreline offering unobstructed vistas towards Ben Lomond,” the property is designed for ultimate comfort, family gatherings, golfing and fishing weekends, as well as moments of peace and contemplation, according to Jones.
Situated just a 10-minute boat ride away from the Loch Lomond golf club, the island holds sentimental value for Jones, 62, who triumphed over prostate cancer. Reflecting on his decision to sell, Jones expressed a shift in priorities post-health battle, seeking a more modest lifestyle over grandeur.
