The expansion of a north-east distillery has been approved despite concerns that it will have a “significant” impact on a nearby cottage.
Local councillors approved Glenglassaugh Distillery’s plans at yesterday’s meeting of the Banff and Buchan area committee.
The Portsoy firm will now be able to proceed with its £4million expansion, building six new warehouses to store whisky at its plant off the A98 Banff to Fochabers road.
But planners had raised concerns about the impact that the project would have on a neighbouring property.
Director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer said that while the project would bring economic benefits to Portsoy, a nearby cottage would be overshadowed by the erection of the sixth warehouse.
Distillery chiefs argued that the development would help secure the 11 permanent jobs on the site and create four new positions.
Yesterday, planning consultant Lesley Tienery, of William Lippe Architects, agents for the scheme, said the firm was “disappointed” with the council’s recommendation for refusal.
“We do not think the consideration of the application has been as balanced as it might have otherwise,” she added.
“There is no other ground available for this development. This is a global company with extremely strong local ties in the community. The company wants to build on the success story of Glenglassaugh – it’s not just about providing four jobs, but losing 15.”
A spokesman for the architecture firm added that distillery bosses had pressed the need for six warehouses.
Portsoy councillor Michael Roy welcomed the scheme.
He said: “There is no alternative to that site because everything else has been used. The wider economic benefits and potential growth outweigh the impacts.”
The distillery is owned by Edinburgh firm BenRiach Distillery Company.
The company set aside £25million this summer as part of an investment to buy up bottles of its own whiskies from privately-owned collections as it tries to keep pace with fast-growing global sales.