Monday's Highlands & Islands edition of the Press & Journal carried a front-page report on the proposed new distillery (see earlier post here), and centred it on a suggestion that the project 'threatened to split the community'.
There is very little sign of a split amongst the residents on the western end of the peninsula about the principle of having a distillery here. Everyone to whom The Diary has spoken is more or less in favour of it, and the body that represents the whole of West Ardnamurchan, the Community Council, has written to Highland Council giving its broad support.
The main objections relate to the siting of the distillery in Glen Beg, and here there is a divergence of views, with some very strongly against the proposed site.One of the strongest objections comes from a near-neighbour to the site, pictured above, whose holiday cottage, he maintains, stands to lose trade. It isn't, in fact, the nearest neighbour. The buildings on the right are holiday cottages right next to the site, and they are owned by one of the distillery's directors, while the cottage on the other side is owned by someone who was seen very happily drinking whisky at the Adelphi presentation on Monday. Another near neighbour, Nadurra, a visitors' centre, seems quite content with the proposal.
What is more worrying is that many of the objections to planning consent - which can be read here by putting in the reference number 12/00017/ful and selecting the 'Documents' tab - seem to come from people who live and work outside the area, and their justification is that it will spoil the natural beauty of a place they visit.
What is more worrying is that many of the objections to planning consent - which can be read here by putting in the reference number 12/00017/ful and selecting the 'Documents' tab - seem to come from people who live and work outside the area, and their justification is that it will spoil the natural beauty of a place they visit.This community relies heavily on the tourist trade, and the last thing locals would want to do is see people who have been visiting the peninsula for years, and who have come to love the place, put off by an industrial development. Yet the residents are those that stay here year on year, it is they who need jobs, and it is they, surely, who hold it in trust for all of us. The real problem is that the locals who are in favour seem less willing, or are less computer able to make their views felt in the planning process.
The Planning Department must have some way of balancing the views of, say, ten residents who favour the plan, against ten outsiders who oppose it. Adelphi have made it quite clear that, if the application fails, they will move it to Fife.
There are times when one does not envy planners their job.
Architect's drawing (c) Adelphi Distilleries Ltd
Are outsiders allowed to write in support of the plan? I know at least three other outsiders who would support the plan. I completely agree that residents views should be paramount, and securing more employment opportunities must be welcomed.
ReplyDeleteIf outsiders are allowed to object which they have done and I would guess most have never even been to the place but have been brainwashed by their friends,then of course outsiders can or should be able to support the project.
DeletePeople need employment and although tourism must contribute to the income within an area, I think it must be the decision of local people how they proceed.
ReplyDeleteI'm a visitor, and although I like things to be unchanged on every visit because Ardnamurchan is such a lovely place, I think it's vital that there is carefully planned change to offer more employment to local people; if a place becomes just a tourist attraction it dies. This development, although it doesn't seem to offer much in the way of jobs initiially will go well with the visitor centre just across the road, and hopefully more employment will result in the future.
ReplyDeleteI just hope that the water abstraction and recycling is planned to avoid affecting the wildlife.
I'm a visitor, and obviously I love Ardnamurchan as it is. However if no development is allowed in areas like this the communities die; tourism is useful money, but tends to be very seasonal.
ReplyDeleteI just hope the water abstraction and recycling will not affect local wildlife.
I do wonder how the existing road will cope with any extra traffic though!
To pick up on some worries - I went to the Adelphi Distillery afternoon presentation last Monday and was impressed by the amount of thought and planning which had gone in to some of the potential adverse impacts on the environment there might have been, and came away very reassured. Water abstraction is one, but the distillery closes during the drier weeks of summer when the river level is most likely to be low. Other than this, I see nothing that will affect local wildlife. Furthermore, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has looked at the proposals and okayed them.
ReplyDeleteI happened to be there with someone who has a deep commitment to wildlife, and he seemed as reassured as I.
I, personally, hope this project goes ahead, and have commented on the Highland Council Planning site accordingly.
We are trying to write in support, the planning website makes you register and says it will email you. After several days waiting we still do not have the promised email to complete the process so that we can enter our comments online. May have to resort to snail mail at this point.
ReplyDeleteAlso people who visit the area do not have a monopoly on wanting to preserve the beauty of the area. Most of those that live here do too and sometimes it is the reason we chose to live here. I dont believe this development is going to change that, it has been carefully thought out.
Many thanks for your support. It is also possible to email Highland Council direct at planning@highland.gov.uk quoting the reference 12/00017/FUL
Delete'Adlephi have made it clear that if the application fails they will move it to Fife' Just the type of tactic another very well known businessman/developer uses. A man who is, so he says, always sympathetic to the local environment, and the needs and wishes of local people wherever he demands to develop a business. His name is Donald Trump. Need I say more?
ReplyDeleteMr Trump was not building a distillery reliant on sufficient water, wood and farmland. I believe that Adelphi's long feasibility study confirms that the only site for a distillery on Ardnamurchan is Glenbeg and that is why they will have to take the investment elsewhere if this is not permitted.
ReplyDeleteI can empathise with your situation. We have similar challenges in Orkney. It's a beautiful landscape and "unspoiled" to a large degree and often "outsiders" and visitors want to keep it like that. But those of us who live here don't want to live in a museum. Sustainable development is essential for small, remote communities. And yes it needs to be sensitive and take into account the view of the LOCAL community - but it is necessary!
ReplyDelete'I believe that Adelphi's long feasability study confirms that the the only site for distillery on Ardnamurchan is Glenbeg'
ReplyDeleteThe only site on the whole of Ardnamurchan? The only site within thousands of acres covering 50 square miles?
Realistically, I think we can believe this statement as much as we believe that there are Fairies in every Glen!
Good luck with the project. Providing all environmental commitments and community benefits are addressed then why should it not move forward. Increased traffic on the road builds cases for improved infrastructure, and better facilities in general.
ReplyDeleteI agree with "someone who cares"-it`s a huge area-so why there. Local people need employment and I`m in favour of development and investment in more than tourism. My concern is with the state of the roads in that area. When I was there a lorry went off the single track road and a crane had to be brought from Oban to haul it up. Took several days.Thankfully no-one was hurt this time. I can only imagine the number of lorries which will be driven back and forth to the distillery. How many of them will have accidents. Have the council plans to double track the road?And if not why not? -bring the peninsula into the 21st century!! and improv acess for everyone.
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