A huge whisky storage facility could be built in Edinburgh under new plans submitted to the council.
Covering an area equivalent of more than two football fields at the Royal Elizabeth Yard Industrial Estate, north of Kirkliston, the development would hold spirits from distilleries all across Scotland during the lengthy ageing process.
The proposals, lodged by North Planning and Development on behalf of Cinnamon Sledge, show eight giant bonded warehouses would be built alongside a tank farm, tanker filling bay, welfare facilities and “associated work”.
The site, which exceeds two hectares in size, would be accessed from Milton Farm Road.
Developers say they are at the “very beginning” of the planning process and discussions are ongoing with city planners to develop a masterplan for the mammoth whisky store.
They say public consultation events will be held with the local community in spring and expect plans to be formally submitted later in the year.
Meanwhile, a project website containing more information on the proposed development is expected to go live later in the month.
In a pre-application report, which will go before councillors next week, officers state: “The design, scale and layout are acceptable within the character of the area.
“The site is identified as being within the greenbelt within the Edinburgh Local
Development Plan.
“Access arrangements are acceptable in terms of road safety and public transport accessibility.
“The applicant will be required to provide transport information to demonstrate how the proposal prioritises active travel and is aligned with parking standards, including service arrangements and cycle parking provision.
“The applicant will be required to submit sufficient information to demonstrate that the site can be developed without having an unacceptable detrimental impact on the environment.”
Whisky is traditionally stored in dunnage warehouses which are specially designed for the maturation process, with thick walls, low ceilings and casks stacked no more than three barrels high.
Another, more modern method involves casks being placed in frames and stacked on their side a dozen or more barrels high.
The most common form of storage in large-scale whisky production is to use palletised warehouses, which have concrete floors and are taller, allowing for more barrels to be stacked.
However, it is not yet known which warehouse design the Kirkliston development will use.
by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency: funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector, and used by qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
