A millionaire businessman has unveiled plans for a £3.5m luxury log cabin holiday development.

John Morphet’s Pure Leisure Group has reached an agreement, subject to planning, to purchase and develop the Glen Truan golf course at Bride.

He has submitted a planning an application to build 55 five-star luxury log cabins on the 170 acres site together with a clubhouse with 60-seat restaurant and bar that will be open to the public.

Fifteen of the log cabins will be available for rent and let out for as little as two nights at a time while the others will be for sale, with a price tag of £175,000. The new owners will also be able to let out the cabins.

If planning consent is secured, the first of the holiday homes could be occupied in as little as six months’ time.

A second phase of development at Glen Truan could see the creation of a swimming pool and spa.

Mr Morphet, who lives at Bishopscourt which he has fully refurbished since he purchased it in 2010, believes the plans will create an extra 350 bedspaces and the sale of the cabins alone should generate an additional £1.9m in VAT revenue for the Manx government.

His Pure Leisure copmnay owns and operates holiday parks in the southern Lake District, Cambridgeshire fens and North Yorkshire coast. Overseas interests included Royal Westmoreland, a 750-acre estate with world class golf course in Barbados.

He told the Manx Independent: ’What we are looking to do at Glen Truan is what I do for a living.

’We have a database in the UK of around 80,000 visitors who holiday with us on a regular basis and I thought it would be a good idea to create a similar development here.

’It will bring in holidaymakers from the UK to the Isle of Man and bring in more revenue for the Manx government.’

Mr Morphet said most of the visitors would be aged between 50 and 70 and would value the sea views, peace and tranquility that Glen Truan offers.

He said the development would be carried out sensitively, with environmental surveys carried out and low level lighting to ensure minimum impact on the adjoining Ayres nature reserve.

Mr Morphet said na open evening had been held to explain the plans with neighbours. ’It went very well - there was only one person who wasn’t very keen on the idea.’

He said he had met with Bride Commissioners and officers from tourism, planning, the fire service and highways and all had been supportive of the plans.

’We have listened to what they have said and gone back to tweak the application accordingly,’ he said.

The site was a sand and gravel quarry before it was developed as a golf course.

Richard Radcliffe, director of Glen Truan said: ’We are delighted to have secured an agreement with Mr Morphet over the sale and development of Glen Truan.

’John is one of the leading figures in the international leisure industry and has a proven track record of developing golf courses, holiday accommodation and leisure parks in some of the world’s most stunning locations.’

Each two or three bedroom log cabin will measure 42ft by 20ft and will feature two bathrooms, fitted kitchen and lounge with three-piece suite.