Row Over Replacement Port Ellen Grain Silos

[William]

Diageo has been granted permission to replace two huge grain silos close to houses and in the same spot where one holding 800 tons of grain collapsed last year.

Families in the houses neighbouring the maltings at Port Ellen on the famous whisky-producing island of Islay were evacuated for two days last November when barley and debris spilled into their gardens.

The malting facility, owned by Diageo, serves six of the island's eight distilleries.

Argyll and Bute Council's planning committee yesterday gave the go-ahead for the new silos, despite a petition signed by 98 people objecting on health and safety grounds and six letters of objection from the neighbours at Bay View and Antrim View.

The council received only one letter of support for the development.

Niall Colthart, of 9 Bayview, said: "It was purely by the luck of God when it fell down that nobody was killed or injured. How they can justify putting them back up there even with health and safety conditions, is beggars belief."?

Argyll Community Housing Association (Acha) properties 1-6 Bay View, were among those evacuated. Acha chief executive Alastair MacGregor said: "We are obviously concerned that this silo collapsed and spilled into our tenants gardens and that this could potentially happen again. It was fortunate that this took place during the night and not when there were children playing or people hanging up their washing.

"We are disappointed that an approval has not been granted that would relocate the silos on site, further away from human habitation."?

Diageo investigations revealed the 17-year-old silo collapsed after suffering corrosion. The replacements will have additional coating to protect them.

Senior planner Richard Kerr said that siting them anywhere else within the maltings would mean considerable extra cost and operating difficulties for Diageo.

Mr Kerr said: "Unless they can replace the storage facility they have lost they will have to import processed malt from the mainland to support whisky production on the island."?

Councillor Bruce Marshall said: "It is terribly important that this firm is able to continue producing whisky on the island."?

Island councillor Robin Currie wanted to continue the decision for further information but did not get support.

The application was approved subject to the condition that Diageo producing a report recommending the best boundary for the site.

A spokeswoman for Diageo said: "We are fully committed to delivering a solution, and have shared the detailed design work undertaken to demonstrate how we intend to resolve current issues."?

William

Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal

[Keith]

I certainly wouldnt be comfortable with them replacing them so close to my home again, it does seem like it was just shear luck no-one was injured when the old silos collapsed.

Keith