Residents oppose a Black Isle distillery, citing black mold, increased traffic, and environmental damage concerns.
A community group has “strong concerns,” while the developers say it will create jobs, expecting 20,000 visitors each year. Locals appreciate jobs, yet dislike the location. The distillery is on green land, near farms, woods and old ruins.
Traffic was a big initial worry in 2023, with people saying roads were too small and weak. The developers changed the plan to fix traffic flow, but the updated plan still makes locals nervous.
They worry about traffic, even after construction, and fear the distillery will harm nature. People feel unheard and quite intimidated, actually. Helicopters landed near gardens, confusing folks, and limos sped around, making folks anxious.
Black mold thrives on alcohol in the air and is common near distilleries’ storage. This mold can stain buildings and grow inside homes. People fear mold will ruin their property, and the resident spokesperson noted this concern. Locals wonder why the distillery won’t use an old industrial site, noting that Dingwall has suitable locations.
The resident spokesperson thinks a brownfield site makes sense, stating that Dingwall could use the jobs. It would avoid hurting the environment, an building there would ease residents’ fears. Dennis Lynskey lives close to the site; only 65 meters away, and he worries about noise and extra traffic.
He questions the developer’s noise report, which claims noise will decrease, saying he finds it hard to believe this. This means noise from an industrial distillery is less than sheep? He also doubts the visitor number projection.
The agent, Organic Architects, responded, stating that distilleries exist across Scotland, create local jobs, and don’t cause harm. They also said the Black Isle Place Plan calls for this kind of business.
The agent noted the initial event was for archaeologists, and stated the project is too minor to need community talks. They moved the entry road due to access concerns, and this change protects a local church.
Warehouses far from homes will mitigate the black mold situation, as ethanol quickly disperses, especially in windy areas. Oban and Pitlochry have town center distilleries, and they do not deal with black mold, the agent pointed out.
The agent broke down the visitor numbers, stating that equates to around 18 summer car trips, with fewer drivers in winter. The farm has agricultural vehicles already, so the traffic may not rise.
The applicant, Morris Dalgetty, has history, owning the land with old still bases. He can revive the historic Ferintosh Whisky brand, which was the first licensed distillery and once made half of Scotch whisky on the Black Isle.