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New Black Isle Brewery site: First signs of development for new city project appeared just before Travellers pitched up

Travellers are camped on land in Inverness that is part of the new Black Isle Brewery project.

Workers from drilling contractor Hydracrat at the Black Isle Brewery site.  Image: Stuart Findlay/DC Thomson
Workers from drilling contractor Hydracrat at the Black Isle Brewery site. Image: Stuart Findlay/DC Thomson

The first signs of development starting at the new Black Isle Brewery site in Inverness appeared just a few days before Travellers arrived at the same spot.

The land at Inverness Shopping Park has been earmarked by the organic business as the home of its new brewery and distillery.

Plans surfaced in May 2023 and were approved by Highland councillors in February 2024.

rteail park camp
Travellers at Inverness’s main retail park. Image: Alberto Lejarraga/DC Thomson

There hadn’t been any visible signs of change to the site until last week, when workers from contractor Hydracrat appeared.

The firm specialises in drilling services for ground investigations while aiming to reduce environmental damage.

Travellers’ Torvean trip provoked anger

But shortly after Hydracrat’s machinery left the site, the group of Travellers moved their camp there from Torvean.

The area in question is opposite Burger King and will one day be used as the main entrance with a pedestrian walkway and a car park.

On Tuesday, a member of the group of Travellers told The Press and Journal they have spoken to the landowner and will be gone by the end of the week.

The Travellers have pitched up on land that will cover a new pedestrian path and car park. Image: Black Isle Brewery

The Black Isle Brewery has been asked to comment.

The group of Travellers arrived in Inverness last week and their encampment caused the postponement of the city’s Park Run.

They had left Torvean by Monday – but sparked anger after accusations they had left 20 bags of rubbish behind and churned-up the grass.

The group said they will leave the retail park site “as they found it” and pleaded with people to stop abusing them online.

What are the Black Isle Brewery’s plans for the site?

News that some signs of work have been visible at the site will be welcomed by the brewery’s many supporters.

The approval of its planning permission in February 2024 gave the business three years to begin work before it would lapse.

We’re only 14 months down the line but there have been other examples of difficult market conditions ultimately leading to projects being shelved.

An artist’s impression of the new Black Isle Brewery. Image: Black Isle Brewery

This was notable recently when an application to build a hotel on the old Ironworks site collapsed.

The Black Isle Brewery picked the Inverness site because of a lack of space for expansion at its current home at Old Allangrange Farm.

Its new two-storey home will include the new brewery and distillery – as well as a shop, visitor centre, bar and a restaurant.

There will also be an outside decked area, courtyard garden and education areas.

It is expected the new venue will be popular with locals and tourists with forecasts of 20,000 visitors a year.

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