Highland Park claims project would pose ‘significant threat’ to distillery water supply

Highland Park has claimed a development near Crantit poses a “significant threat” to the distillery’s only water supply.

A pumping station for waste water is being mooted, which would serve a potential housing development on the site off New Scapa Road.

Officials from the local authority recommended that the plans from Orkney Builders (Contractors) Ltd be given the go-ahead.

But at Wednesday’s meeting of the planning committee, councillors decided to hold off on making a decision, until more data can be taken into account.

The infrastructure is needed to support future works on the land off New Scapa Road, highlighted as a site for house building by Orkney Islands Council (OIC).

Proposals from Orkney Builders to put up 66 houses on the site — named K-9 — were refused last year.

A new application, still to be decided, would see 28 homes and 36 flats built on the site to the south of The Balfour.

Up for consideration on Wednesday, October 8, was proposals from Orkney Builders for a wastewater pumping station, access track and bridge crossing on land west of Easdale Burn. This would facilitate future sewer works at the location.

Since these plans were lodged in May 2024 there has been a back and forth between consultants.

At the centre of the debate is the impact of the plans on the water supply of the world famous whisky maker.

OIC called in an independent environmental consultant of its own to review the surveys that had been carried out. They concluded that the application will have “no more than an insignificant impact” on the distillery’s water supply.

Speaking during Wednesday’s meeting, Highland Park’s distillery manager Marie Gulliver said the Crantit well and lagoon are the distillery’s only source of water — which is “critical” to its production.

She said the proposals pose a “significant threat” to the quality and quantity of water used by the company.

The expert hired by Highland Park, Jason Fairbairn, said he had concerns with the surveys that had been carried out so far.

He said they were based on monitoring from October to March, rather than the full year.

Mr Fairbairn added that, over time, he believed there was the potential for leakage from the sewer.

Speaking in favour of the development was Stephen Kemp, managing director Orkney Builders.

He said: “Naturally, the number one priority for us is to not see any risk of contamination or any degradation of the existing water supply.”

Mr Kemp said that the surveys had been “thoroughly cross-examined” by the OIC-appointed expert. Based on this, he said, the application was recommended for approval by planning officials.

Chairman of the planning committee, Councillor Owen Tierney, highlighted the contradictions in the views they had heard.

“The problem for me is we have had, obviously, expert opinions that don’t totally coincide.”

Councillor Duncan Tullock said that he and his colleagues lacked the information they needed to make a decision.

He said surveys should be done based on a full year’s worth of monitoring.

Councillor David Dawson back the move, saying he was troubled by the use of words like “negligible” or “insignificant” when describing the impact of the project on Highland Park.

“I would need to be satisfied 100 per cent that there would be no impact on water supply to the distillery,” he added.

With no councillors backing the application in its current form, it was agreed to defer their decision for the further information. A site visit for councillors is also to be carried out.

Mr Kemp said that his company had continued their monitoring, so it shouldn’t take long for the extra data to be provided.