Simpsons Malt Limited has been granted planning permission in principle from Moray Council to build a state-of-the-art maltings with malting barley storage facilities on the outskirts of Rothes.

The decision was made at a special meeting of Moray Council’s Planning & Regulatory Services Committee yesterday afternoon (February 15), with the application receiving majority approval from representatives in attendance.

Up to 40 jobs are set to be created at the fifth-generation, family business when the site is operational. By having a maltings in Rothes, it will expand the company’s number of malting sites in the United Kingdom to three, with its other malting sites in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland – where the company’s headquarters is located – and Tivetshall St Margaret, Norfolk.

The maltings will have an annual production capacity of 85,000 tonnes and, with most of this tonnage earmarked for major distilling customers located in Speyside, it will also assist the company – which achieved Certified B Corporation status in 2021 – in operating more efficiently and sustainably, with its goal to be net zero by 2030.

Furthermore, the barley that will be used for malt production will be locally grown by farming customers of the company’s agricultural merchanting division McCreath Simpson & Prentice, with the barley transported into the site from its grain stores in Keith and Stracathro.

Speaking about the latest developments, Simpsons Malt Limited Managing Director, Tim McCreath, said: “Two-and-a-half years since entering into the agreement to purchase the land at Greens of Rothes, we’re delighted that Moray Council have granted planning permission in principle for our proposed maltings in Rothes.

“Operating a maltings in the heart of Scotch whisky country will enable us to operate more efficiently and sustainably, while also assisting our end user customers in the area with their own sustainability objectives.

“We’d like to place on record our sincere thanks to the local community for their cooperation and support throughout the process. We’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge comments raised in yesterday’s objections and will seek to work closely with the local community to find the best solutions that we can as the project moves forward.”