Plans for a vast £150m whisky maturation facility in East Ayrshire have been scrapped by Suntory Global Spirits, less than a year after the project was waved through by Scottish Government ministers in the face of local opposition.
The drinks group, which owns Beam-Suntory and produces well-known Scotch brands including Laphroaig, Bowmore, Auchentoshan, Teacher’s, Glen Garioch, Ardmore and Ardray, had secured permission to build the development at South Drumboy farm, just outside Kilmarnock. Ministers overruled environmental objections from people living and working near the site, clearing the way for a major investment that was billed as an economic boost for the area.
Suntory had claimed the Kingswell project would hold up to half a million barrels of spirit at any one time and support around 45 jobs once operational, positioning East Ayrshire as a key hub in its Scotch whisky supply chain. The complex was to comprise large maturation warehouses and associated infrastructure, with the company arguing it would underpin the long-term growth of its global brands.
However, the firm has now confirmed it will not proceed with the scheme and will instead redirect cash into a different, local maturation site. In a statement, a Suntory Global Spirits spokesperson said: “While we are no longer progressing with the Kingswell project, we are redirecting investment to a local maturation facility. Our investment in Scotland will continue as we remain focused on the long-term sustainability of our operations, brands and contribution to the economy.”
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The decision marks a significant victory for campaigners who had fought the South Drumboy proposal on health and environmental grounds. Objectors raised concerns about the impact on protected peatland, the release of ethanol vapours from casks and the associated risk of black fungus, as well as noise and broader effects on the amenity of those living in the vicinity.
Despite the strength of feeling locally, the plans had previously been backed by planning officials, who noted there were no objections from East Ayrshire Council’s environmental health team, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Ayrshire Roads Alliance or NatureScot. That technical backing helped pave the way for ministerial approval, even as community groups continued to argue the development was out of scale and ill-suited to the countryside setting.
