You can rely on a tailor to exhibit a flair for symmetry, so it's no surprise that Scotland's best-known kilt-maker, Geoffrey Nicholsby, has chosen the 20th anniversary of his involvement with a historic Scottish castle to make a life change.

If he sells Duntarvie Castle, on the Hopetoun House estate near Winchburgh, West Lothian, he will sail off into the sunset on a yacht headed for the Caribbean. And he will be glad to leave the tangle of red tape he confronted in his wake.

After battling with planners and conservation agencies for much of his tenure of the ruin, Nicholsby says it's time to pass on the baton to somebody who can complete his renovation project, allowing him to indulge his growing passion for sailing in The British Virgin Islands, where his daughter is a dive master.

Those who take up the challenge are unlikely to face too many future obstacles: Duntarvie Castle now has all its planning permissions in place. Nicholsby's plan had been to transform the castle into an upmarket getaway complex and business headquarters, where famous customers could have kilts fitted in the lap of luxury. His list of past customers includes Robbie Williams, Sir Sean Connery, Mel Gibson, Joan Collins and Bo Derek.

That plan, which also includes the development of courtyard cottages, has been ratified, the ruined stonework has been secured, and the full-scale renovation is ready to go. But although the property is being marketed as a commercial concern, agents believe its future could lie as a magnificent period home.

Linda Bateman, of Strutt & Parker, who is handling the sale of Duntarvie Castle, says that with the necessary permissions in place, Duntarvie would make a substantial family home over three floors, with at least six bedrooms.

“Buyers love the idea of the romance and history of a castle,” she says. “Who wouldn't want their bathroom in a turret or a ballroom with a minstrels' gallery? But a castle must be liveable and that is where Duntarvie comes into its own. Not only would it be, while big, at least a manageable size with the potential for great gardens, it is also only eight miles from the centre of Edinburgh, close to the main motorway networks and a 10-minute drive to the airport.”

Once restored as a home, Duntarvie could be worth more than £2m. However, it could take a few years for the owner to recoup costs. “This is not a project for someone who wants to make a quick profit,” says Bateman.

As Duntarvie is classified as an ancient monument, rather than a listed building, on account of its roofless and ruinous state, it is very much a development opportunity.

The grounds extend to nearly two acres, included in the sale. Further to this there are 6Å acres of land adjacent to the castle held on a ground lease for 99 years, at a rate of £20 per annum.

Duntarvie has been uninhabited since the 1840s, but it was a fine castle in its medieval heyday. In the 16th century, the tenants of Duntarvie were the Durham family. Alexander Durham served as a clerk in the Scottish exchequer for James V, Mary of Guise and their daughter Mary Queen of Scots, and was appointed master of the prince's wardrobe.

It was this royal tailoring link that initially encouraged Nicholsby to consider transferring his business HQ from Edinburgh to Duntarvie. As the kilt-maker clashed heads with the bureaucrats, however, years passed. He no longer has the need - or presumably the will - to see his scheme completed.

He says: “It cost a lot of money and grief to get to this stage. Buying Duntarvie alone took five years of negotiations. All the hard work has been done in terms of bureaucracy. In relative terms, the building work could be pretty straightforward. But I am 61 now, and time moves on. I'd like to pursue my love of sailing.”

As befits a house of such noble standing, Nicholsby says Duntarvie has its own high-born ghost, believed to be the Marchioness of Abercorn, who was confined to the castle on account of her religious convictions.

“You can hear her chatting away in the dead of night,” says Nicholsby. “You can't make out anything distinctly, but, to my mind at least, it certainly sounds like she is wailing, ‘Down with Historic Scotland'.”

Offers are invited for Duntarvie. There is no guide price. Strutt & Parker, 0131 226 2500 www.struttandparker.com

Times recommends

• Fall in house sales hits builders, estate agents and mortgage brokers
• Why the property credit crunch favours cash buyers
• The blood-curdling history of Quarrelwood House