Kinnitty distillery decision on hold

A decision on plans for a craft distillery and visitor centre on the grounds of Kinnitty Castle Hotel has been put on hold, after Offaly County Council requested further information on several aspects of the proposed project.

Planners contacted hotel owners, Teroboc Operations Limited, this week to ask them to provide more detail in relation to the whiskey production process, traffic management and car parking, and the environmental and ecological impact of the plans, particularly on local bat and bird populations. 
If given the green light, the proposed craft distillery and visitors centre are expected to create approximately 20 part-time jobs at Kinnitty Castle. 
The distillery and centre would be located in the coach house and stable outbuildings.

The application, lodged in October, includes plans for a distillery process, bottling and storage areas, a tasting area and bar, and craft workshops, as well as external landscaping in the courtyard. 
In a cover letter submitted with the application, architects Kenny Lyons Associates described the proposed development as “a small scale craft distillery to provide an added tourist offering to the Kinnitty Castle Hotel”.
“The distillery will provide very limited production volumes of whiskey and will mostly contain demonstration equipment, storage barrels and bottling and labelling facilities,” it said. 
However, the planners have asked for clarification regarding a “discrepancy” between the proposed distillery and a reference to “barrel kegs” and “compact brewhouse” in the submitted floor plan, which they say would be associated with the beer-brewing process. 
They have also requested a detailed report on whiskey production, including the capacity of the distillery, volumes of water to be extracted, and disposal of waste materials. 
Regarding environmental impact, the applicant is required to submit an Appropriate Assessment Screening Report for the proposed development; this is an assessment of the potential adverse effects of a project on Special Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas. 
There is particular focus on the use of the buildings by bats and birds. 
The existing coach house and stable outbuildings, which are protected structures, are currently “ideal sites for migratory birds such as house martins and swallows”, and the planners are concerned that the development may impact on their sites. They have requested an ecologist's report, to include mitigation measures and proposals for built-in nest boxes for swifts.
Offaly County Council also require a traffic impact assessment, as the proposed development is accessed via the R421 which is identified as “a restricted regional route due to carrying capacity and amenity”. 
This should include details of traffic movements expected both during construction and once the project is up and running, including buses, hotel visitors, and deliveries. 
In the original application, Teroboc said it expected the hotel's occupancy levels to increase “as it will attract a lot more tour groups so our midweek and off season times of the year should become busier”.
Details of opening hours and advertising signage should also be provided. 
The applicant has six months to provide the requested information to the council