New distillery complex in Dornoch given go-ahead by Scottish Ministers after SEPA objection
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Plans to build a £7 million, eco-friendly distillery complex at Dornoch will now proceed after receiving the green light from Scottish Ministers.
The new development, spearheaded by the existing Dornoch Distillery run by brothers Philip and Simon Thompson, had been unanimously sanctioned by Highland councillors on September 12.
But the final seal of approval had to come from Scottish Ministers after an objection from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) over the location of the development in a flood risk area.
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In a statement on Facebook, a spokesperson for the distillery thanked the Dornoch community for their support.
It said: "Over the past year we've navigated through numerous hurdles in our quest to obtain planning permission for our new distillery in Dornoch. This dream, nurtured for many years, took a significant step forward in September 2022 when we initiated the first phase – a community consultation here in Dornoch.
"The primary goal was to secure support from fellow Dornoch businesses, community groups, and local residents. The response we received was overwhelmingly positive, bolstering our confidence as we submitted our planning application in December 2022.
"Fast forward 11 months, and we are thrilled to share the incredible news that we have officially been granted planning permission for our new distillery, boasting a production capacity of 200,000 litres of pure alcohol per year, two new bonded warehouses, and a visitor centre/shop.
"We simply can not express how grateful we are for the unwavering support you have provided us over the past few years, especially throughout this challenging 11-month journey.
"This process has been arduous, and countless individuals have played pivotal roles in helping us achieve our goal. Your kind words of encouragement and unwavering confidence in us have been a constant source of motivation."
The new distillery complex will be built on a 7.5 acre site at Dornoch South, previously owned by Aberdeen and Northern Marts (ANM) and purchased for the community by Dornoch Area Community Interest Company (DACIC) in March 2021.
The site was deemed to be vulnerable to flooding from the nearby Dornoch Burn, in addition to coastal flooding.
Giving consideration to National Planning Framework Four (NPF4) policy, which was adopted in February this year, SEPA highlighted that there was not enough land available beyond the coastal flood risk area.
But Scottish Ministers stated that it would not be possible to move the building outside the coastal flood line, and that the proposed use should be classed as "low vulnerability".
They concluded that "risk to life from flooding is limited", and that the council had "adequately considered the flood risk issue".
A letter issued to the applicants on October 31 confirmed that planning permission had been granted, subject to several conditions, including the mitigation of flood risk.
