A MUM who purchased an abandoned 17th-century castle behind her husband’s back has been given the go-ahead to turn it into a £12million wedding venue.
Nicole Rudder, 32, bought Garrion Tower in North Lanarkshire in 2022 for around £250,000 without telling her 37-year-old husband Grant.
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Last week North Lanarkshire Council approved Nicole’s plans for a £12million renovation project, as she hopes to transform the abandoned castle into a five-star wedding venue.
After submitting her plans in August last year, the mum-of-two is now aiming to complete the work within 18 months, starting this summer.
People thought I was mad but I knew when I saw it I could make this place something special again
Nicole Rudder
Nicole told the Daily Record: “We really plan to bring it back to life and make it a real fixture for the local community again.”
The mum, from Chapelhall near Airdrie, is excited to start renovating the property with her close family and friends whom she works with at her insurance firm.
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“It’s all friends and family – it’s 17 people in total working on it,” she said
Nicole added: “We are really close, that’s what gave me the confidence to do it.”
The team has previously renovated AirBnBs which she owns but they are looking forward to the new challenge.
The council planners’ report stated: “It is considered the proposed works would not have a significant detrimental impact on the character, appearance and setting of the category B listed building and will ensure its sustainable reuse.”
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The baronial castle was originally on the market for £800,000 and was later axed to £400,000 after the seller received no offers.
The castle desperately needs repairs which could cost an estimated £5million.
Despite all of Nicole’s close family and friends now working on the project, at the time, she didn’t even tell her husband that she had spent a quarter of a million on an abandoned castle.
Nicole admits that at the time Grant was “probably not happy about it” and was becoming fed up with his wife adding new properties to her project list.
However, the property expert is confident she can turn her castle into something special.
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Nicole’s newly purchased castle contains breathtaking history including a Michelangelo painting which recently sold for a whopping £12.5million.
As a result, she believes there will be a significant demand for the soon-to-be hotel and wedding venue.
She added: “This building has got so much history, we have got lots of testimonies of people who lived and worked here.”
People from the community will now have the chance to get married where their ancestors worked.
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If not for Nicole’s purchase, “this building would have been pulled down eventually if someone didn’t go in and save it,” she claimed.
The Sun has contacted North Lanarkshire Council for comment.
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