Opinions on £15m Wolfcraig project
Refusal of a new £15million Stirling distillery and visitor centre by Stirling Council planners has sparked mixed public opinion.
Locals took to social media last week to react to the Observer’s Friday front page which revealed that Wolfcraig Distillery had been rejected by the authority’s officials.
The developers, who say they have already committed £2.5million to the project, are vowing to pursue their plans - but other locations may have to be considered if the broader council planning or appeal process proves time consuming.
Wolfcraig have claimed the distillery and visitor centre would be a “visitor destination target” for tourists to Stirling and could generate a staggering £1billion for the local economy over the next decade.
Their planning application included production of whisky and other spirits, still house, workshop, enclosed yard, distillery shop, events space, cafe, restaurant, kitchen (licensed), service spaces, plant rooms, and associated 140 visitor/staff car parking spaces, coach parking, soft landscaping and infrastructure including a new access road for a site 465 metres south of Craigforth.
Readers responded to the story on social media.
David Philp said: “This decision is just another step in bringing Stirling to its knees. What a tourist attraction this would be and would certainly bring people into the town centre and, of course, more jobs.”
Daniel Bustillos added: “I really hope they appeal. The council should be fighting to bring business to Stirling and not the opposite.”
Local businesswoman Victoria Struthers described the decision as “ludicrous”, adding: “Something that may actually bring footfall into the city centre refused yet Asda that has another store eight miles away and likely take footfall out of the town centre approved?”
Irvi Jam said: “I cannot believe the council are against this...This is an amazing opportunity for Stirling to benefit a growing industry along with the distilleries contribution to the local community and tourism.”
And Claire Munro said: “I can’t believe the out of town Asda was approved and this was kicked out. Isn’t it more likely that people would combine a visit to this place with a visit to the city centre than go here instead of the centre.”
But some backed the refusal.
Inga Bullen said: “It was in the wrong place! We do not need to build on agricultural land on open sites which enhance the view of the castle and its important geographical setting.”
Meanwhile, Peter Morgan said: “People need to get a grip...it’s a distillery, not Disneyland. Do you really think a distillery is going to bring all these benefits to the town centre? Do you really believe their overhyped projections of benefit? ”
Last week a spokesperson for Wolfcraig called the decision “disappointing” and the reasons given “difficult to comprehend” but said the company remained “determined to build a world-class brand, whisky distillery and tourist attraction that the people of Stirling can be proud of ”.
But they added: “The planning department’s decision has hugely impacted our project timeline and we may need to look at alternative plans to ensure we meet our production targets.”
A site near Touch Farm had originally been proposed but Ambassdaor LB Holdings LLP offered the land within their Craigforth campus redevelopment. A proposed bonded warehouse building had to be removed from the proposal and was expected to be part of a separate application once a suitable alternative location was found.
Some neighbours, however, were less than enthusiastic about the development.
North Kersebonny Residents Housing Association represented 10 owners at nearby North Kersebonny Steading and objected to the application on their behalf citing grounds including that the character of the area would be irreversibly changed.
In their decision, council planners said the scale and nature of the restaurant/café, event space and shop was likely to “detract from the offerings within the Stirling city centre” and that there was “insufficient information” to back the applicant’s claims of city centre benefit. They also cited the “sensitive location”, saying the proposal would be “a significant intrusion into the open landscape”.