SPIRITS are high in County Down!
Environment Minister Alex Attwood today announced that he is to recommend planning approval for two whiskey distilleries.
One application is for a micro whiskey distillery including a new building at Ballyhenry House, Lough Shore Road, Portaferry. This involves a change of use and extension to the existing farm buildings.
[caption id="attachment_38956" align="alignleft" width="390"]
Environment Minister Alex Attwood has raised spirits in Ards by giving the go-ahead for distilleries in Portaferry and Kircubbin.[/caption]
The other application is also for an Irish Whiskey distillery plus visitor’s centre at Gransha Road in Kircubbin. This proposal includes the conversion of the Grade B1 listed stable building. The U-Shaped two-storey building will be converted into a visitor’s centre, which is to include a restaurant and kitchen, a distillery exhibition centre and museum, tasting room and shop. The building will also house two units of staff accommodation.
Alex Attwood said: “These distilleries will provide a boost for the Ards Peninsula which will be welcomed by traders and visitors. These will provide construction jobs in the short term and attract visitors and increase tourism once completed.
“These recommendations and the application for a new distillery in Derry that I approved last week prove how DOE can fulfil its dual mandate as the leading Environment Ministry and a leading Economy Ministry.”
The DOE will be consulting Ards Borough Council at their meeting on its opinion to approve these applications on 14 May.
]]>
