The planning permission that they have granted covers the construction of 11 new cask warehouses, with a total floor space of almost 29,000m2 – equivalent to seven football pitches. The development, which will be built on a 4.7ha site, will more than double the footprint of the current operation.
Currently the site is prime agricultural land, but councillors agreed with planning officials that it was an acceptable departure from the local plan due to its contribution to economic growth. Substantial landscaping will soften the development and enhance the site for wildlife, with biodiversity benefits, the councillors accepted.
No objections were raised to the development, which is expected to be phased in over a 10-year period.
Councillor David Bremner, who chairs Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee, , said that the development will be a significant investment in Moray. “This proposal reinforces the importance of the whisky industry here in Moray and shows the long-term commitment of a global player in the industry, for the benefit of the local economy.”
Moray is famous for its colony of dolphins, its beaches and for having more malt whisky distilleries than anywhere else in Scotland. It nestles between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, stretching from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, and from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
