Ambitious plans have been unveiled to revive an historic whisky distillery on Skye, creating 26 new jobs, a visitor centre and staff accommodation.
Séamus Ó Baoighill and Seumas Gorman hope to develop the distillery in Broadford, where they currently run a small-scale gin production business.
The application to Highland Council is for the erection of a new craft distillery in Ford Road, 12 staff accommodation units, a shop, cafe and access point in what is described as a “significant investment” for the village.
The production facility would, if granted, allow the existing business to become a whisky distiller and to recreate the Corry Distillery, an historic whisky brand which was produced from 1816 to 1826 in Broadford.
It is proposed to construct a new building on the site of the existing gin business, and which will produce spirit in an environmentally low-impact way.
Cask storage and maturation will take place on a separate site nearby, under the same ownership, and will be the subject of a further planning application.
In a submission to planners, the applicants’ agents say: “The distilling legacy of Broadford – the Corry Distillery – will be brought back to life.
“The building project will include historic research of the distilling history of the area, which will be illustrated within the new building.
Information will be included from the Mackinnon Archive, dedicated to the history of the Clan Mackinnon and its deep connection to the area.”
When fully established the distillery business will employ 26 full and part-time staff, including six distillers, eight tour staff, nine bottling, packing and despatch people, and three catering and bar staff.
The agents state: “It has been shown by the Scotch Whisky Association that a further 50-60 local spin-off jobs are supported by every distillery.
“These include farmers, maltsters, drivers, local accommodation owners and hospitality jobs.”
The distillery development is also linked to the nearby Corry estate buildings which are on the official Buildings At Risk register.
The two sites are in the same ownership.
The applicants say: “The success of the proposed distillery on Ford Road is critical to the survival of the Coach House and Corry Lodge, which is one of the finest examples of period domestic architecture on Skye.”
The proposed design and layout of the distillery will be in two distinct sections, separating the public facing distillery and visitor centre and the private staff accommodation.
The distillery itself will face Ford Road, while the accommodation will front the Riverbank residential road and be in a similar style to neighbouring properties.
The agents say: “Traditional copper pot stills will be positioned facing the main road. This will be an engaging sight, adding to the character of the street, and creating a new local landmark in Broadford.”
It is the second new distillery proposal for Broadford to be put forward in recent months.
Kero Properties, headed by Robin Keane who runs businesses on Skye, has lodged a planning application notice with the council for development of a three-acre site at Pairc Nan Craobh industrial estate comprising a distillery with visitor experience, houses, flats and a supermarket.
The cut off date for making representations to Highland Council planning services on the proposed Ford Road development is 17th April 2025.
Article by Jackie MacKenzie