The approval covers a new distillery, visitor centre, warehouse and associated infrastructure at a site just off the A95 on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey.
Applicant Speymalt Whisky Distributors Ltd (trading as Gordon & MacPhail) has applied to build the new distillery in order to expand its existing business. The new facility will have a maximum production capacity of two million litres of spirit 鈥� or 100,000 cases of whisky 鈥� per year.
The CNPA planning had previously carried out a site visit to the location between Craggan Outdoors and Gaich Farm.
As well as the proposals for a whisky distillery and associated buildings close to the River Spey, the application site extends over the A95 to include an area of land for a water abstraction pipeline.
CNPA Planning Officer Katherine Donnachie said: 鈥淭he building is set to be 鈥榮tate of the art鈥� and we consider it to be well designed and in a good location with suitable mitigation measures in place to combat ecological impacts. Subject to conditions and a legal agreement securing good pedestrian and cycle links between Dulnain Bridge and Grantown, I recommend we approve the application.鈥�
CNPA planning committee convener Eleanor Mackintosh said: 鈥淚 congratulate the applicant on a thorough and well-presented application. This is a major development for the area and this will be the first malt whisky distillery to be approved by the Cairngorms National Park Authority since it was established in 2003.鈥�
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