'Fingers crossed' for micro-distillery at Dunrobin Castle as funding said to be in place and planning application is resubmitted
The chairman of Golspie Community Council has said he hopes ambitious plans for a micro-distillery at Dunrobin Castle will finally go ahead.
Ian Sutherland commented after a planning application for the ambitious development was submitted to Highland Council for the third time in six years - planning consent having twice elapsed as the project stalled.
Speaking at last month’s community council meeting, Mr Sutherland said it was his understanding that finance, which is thought to have been the stumbling block for the multi-million scheme, was now in place.
He said: “I have been assured that they have got the funding this time, so fingers crossed. I would love it to happen. I think it is a good idea and I really hope it goes ahead. The community council are fully in support of it.”
Behind the project are the Earl of Sutherland’s daughter Elizabeth Sutherland and her Israeli husband, Boban Costin.
An application for planning and listed building consents was first lodged in 2016 to turn the former power house, concealed in woodland some 110m north-west of the castle, into a craft distillery, producing malt whisky and gin.
The power house was originally used to supply electricity to the castle using coal and gas and later diesel, to power turbines. Other historic buildings in the castle grounds are also in line for a revamp as part of the scheme, including the redundant ice house and timber larder.
However, the project stalled and planning consent, which lasts for a three-year period, elapsed in 2019 when the application was resubmitted. Consent again lapsed in November last year, leading to the application being lodged for the third time.
Dunrobin castle is visited by upwards of 100,000 people a year. It is thought the distillery would create around eight jobs.
The submission for the third time of plans for a distillery at Dunrobin Castle has been welcomed by Golspie Community Council chairman Ian Sutherland.
Mr Sutherland told a council meeting last month that he welcomed the move, and hoped the proposal would now