PLANS to develop a huge whisky facility at a former military site on the outskirts of the Scottish capital have been unveiled.

Royal Elizabeth Bond has launched a consultation on proposals to develop bonded and maturation warehouse space at Royal Elizabeth Yard at Dalmeny, near Edinburgh.

The developer said: “Our emerging proposals seek to respond to significant market demand for bonded and maturation warehouse accommodation in central Scotland.

“The ongoing expansion of the whisky industry has left the market with a shortage of accommodation, with particular impacts for smaller, independent distillers."


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It continued: "In addition, the increasing challenges that the industry is facing, regarding stricter regulations relating to the storage of alcohol, combined with the increasing constraints of existing sites, has led to there being significant demand for purpose-built and regulatory compliant warehouse accommodation.

“As such, our emerging proposals present an opportunity to provide a key piece of infrastructure for the Scotch Whisky industry which contributes £5.5bn in gross value added to the UK economy and supports over 42,000 jobs.”

The Herald: A distillery. Picture: Getty Images.A distillery. Picture: Getty Images. (Image: Getty)

The proposal site comprises the existing Royal Elizabeth Yard industrial estate at Standingstane Road and Milton Farm Road.

The site has been in commercial use since at least the 1940s when it was developed as a depot to supply food and beverages to the Royal Navy at Rosyth.

Royal Elizabeth Yard has 17,663 sqm of business and industrial accommodation, together with associated parking, yard and other external areas.

There are currently 37 business premises within Royal Elizabeth Yard, comprising eight large warehouse buildings and a series of smaller business premises.

The Royal Elizabeth Yard is "well suited in terms of meeting the necessary regulatory and security requirements for the storage of spirit", said the developer.