Tiny Scottish island gets go-ahead for new brewery
Permission for a brewery to be built on the Scottish Isle of Gigha has been granted by the local authorities after conversion and development plans were submitted last year.
The brewery site, based at Achavinish on the Isle of Gigha, was initially proposed by homebrewers Anna and Dave Lannigan who had already created a microbrewery in their house and had wanted to expand and potentially add a taproom and events space.
Plans adapted
The taproom and events space plans were however denied by Argyll and Bute Council and yet the brewery itself attracted eight expressions of support from the public, enough for it to gain the permission needed for the main site.
The Lannigan duo currently operate a small 50-litre brewery from their kitchen and the plan was to build onto this to increase capacity to 150 litres following council approval.
The Isle of Gigha, is a community-owned island and measures just seven miles long and 1.5 miles wide is accessible from the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. It has, at present, a population of approximately 160–180 residents.
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A council officer handling the application told local Scottish press that “the proposal relates to the conversion of an existing building to form a small-scale brewery at Achavinish on the Isle of Gigha. The development comprises internal alterations and the installation of brewing equipment, with no significant external alterations proposed. The proposal also includes the formalisation of two vehicular parking spaces and turning area within the existing hardstanding at the site.”
Utilising existing infrastructure
The council officer revealed that “the building is a single storey stone structure under a slate roof and located immediately to the north of the main dwelling” and explained that, at present, the site “is split into three internal areas which are proposed to be used for a brewery and two storage rooms”.
The official added: “The site is accessed via an existing private access track situated off the C33 Gigha public road. The proposal would utilise existing servicing infrastructure at the site. The application as originally submitted also requested permission for a tap room and an events room. Following the consultation period and comments received from the roads officer, these elements were removed from the scheme.”
No impact on surroundings
Argyll and Bute Council has also reassured that the proposal has “no impacts on the historic environment and does not impact habits or ecological impacts” and “will utilise the existing services already connected to the building”.
Additionally, it was highlighted that “it is not considered that the development would result in unacceptable impacts in terms of noise, traffic, or general amenity” and noted that “the environmental health officer raises no objection to the scheme in this regard”.
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