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Developer's plans for Thameside resort in 18th-century manor get green light
British real estate company SUSD has announced that it has gained planning consent to develop the Grotto Estate – a 3.5-hectare country retreat on the banks of the Thames river in Lower Basildon, UK.
Designed by Paul Forster, the future property, which will expand on a Georgian-era mansion said to have been designed by the renowned landscape architect Capability Brown, will feature 53 rooms and six two-bedroom detached lodges, two of which will be available for purchase.
Leisure and wellness facilities will include tennis courts and bars, as well as a restaurant, kitchen garden, boathouse, solarium, gym, swimming pool, and two-storey spa.
Speaking on the project, Harry Harris, founder of SUSD, said his team aims to "foster an experience relevant to the location and provide members with everything they need – from rooms, restaurant, bar, gym and spa, to cultural programmes, garden walks and riverside retreats".
He added: "We create destinations to match how people like to live their lives today, in the process revitalising buildings and sites that might not stack up as a standalone hotel or leisure venue."
![The new hotel and residences will be built on the grounds of a great house reportedly designed by landscape architect and writer Capability Brown. / Courtesy of SUSD The new hotel and residences will be built on the grounds of a great house reportedly designed by landscape architect and writer Capability Brown. / Courtesy of SUSD](https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/imagesX/HIGH340603_428355_583972.jpg)
![The property is located in Lower Basildon in Berkshire. / Courtesy of SUSD The property is located in Lower Basildon in Berkshire. / Courtesy of SUSD](https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/imagesX/HIGH340603_772128_414975.jpg)
![Grotto Estate will also offer six detached lodges – some of which will be available for purchase. / Courtesy of SUSD Grotto Estate will also offer six detached lodges – some of which will be available for purchase. / Courtesy of SUSD](https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/imagesX/HIGH340603_651924_451485.jpg)
![Grotto Estate's unique history stretches back more than 200 years. / Courtesy of SUSD Grotto Estate's unique history stretches back more than 200 years. / Courtesy of SUSD](https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/imagesX/HIGH340603_621313_27435.jpg)