Plans to create Scotland’s first grain distillery in 10 years have taken a significant step forward after being given the green light by planners.
The St. Boswells Distillery, based at Charlesfield Industrial Estate in the Scottish Borders, will be Scotland’s lowest carbon Grain Distillery, adding value to locally grown cereals, using up to date distilling technology, adding to the circular economy, reducing carbon emissions and maximising recycling with zero waste to landfill.
It will produce 20 million litres of pure alcohol a year to meet the growing demand for grain whisky for use in Scotch Whisky blending and a Scottish grain neutral spirit for gin and vodka.
The approved planning application will facilitate a £46m investment in the local economy, creating c 200 construction roles and 20 permanent, high-value jobs supporting the rural community.
The 18 month construction period is scheduled to begin in 2022, and spirit will be produced in 2024.
Trevor Jackson, Founder & CEO of Jackson Distillers, welcomed the planners’ decision. He said: “This is another significant step forward in the process to create the Scottish Borders’ first major grain distillery.
“We have had great support for our proposals from local stakeholders across the region and have worked closely with Scottish Borders Council to ensure we created plans that fit into the landscape, present climate change mitigation opportunities and support the local community. We are grateful to everyone who has helped us to get to this stage and will continue to work with local stakeholders as we now progress with construction.”
At the heart of the Distillery project is its environmental impact. The site will take high-quality local cereals from the surrounding Tweed Valley and process them efficiently and sustainably with renewable energy into the spirit. The cereals, once spent, will be passed to the adjacent anaerobic digestion plant, where they will be converted into methane, with the remaining material being used as soil conditioner for the crops. In addition, process water from an on-site bore-hole will be efficiently recycled to minimise the use of this important resource.
For further information contact:
Lucy Laidlaw
Lucy Laidlaw Communication
07834228951
About The Jackson Distillery
The development near St Boswells will create 20 permanent high-value jobs and more than 200 jobs on-site through the construction phase, developing skills and training opportunities locally and generating significant economic value for the Scottish Borders.
The site will take high-quality local cereals from the Tweed valley and process them efficiently and sustainably with renewable energy into high-quality spirit. The cereals, once spent, will be passed to the adjacent anaerobic digestion plant, where they will be converted into methane, with the remaining material being used as soil conditioner for the crops. In addition, process water from an on-site bore-hole will be efficiently recycled to minimise the use of this important resource.
The Distillery will add value to locally-grown cereals using up-to-date distilling technology, adding to the circular economy, maximising recycling, reducing carbon emissions with zero waste to landfill. The cereals will be tracked from the seedbed to the still and beyond so that the customer can be confident of the provenance of the spirit.
Trevor Jackson Biography
Trevor Jackson is the CEO of Jackson Distillers Ltd. He is also the owner of Charlesfield Farms and Estate, a land developer and has led multiple successful business ventures in the residential and commercial property sectors. Mr Jackson has also delivered a multi-million-pound renewables project, raising £11m for an award-winning Anaerobic Digestion plant. He is Chair of South-East of Scotland Scottish Land & Estates group, sits on the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership, and is a former President of Melrose Rugby Club.
