Simpsons Malt gets approval for new malting site

Independent company Simpsons Malt has been granted planning permission in principle to build a ‘state-of-the-art’ maltings with storage facility on the outskirts of Rothes, Scotland.

The new facility will include malting barley storage space. It will have an annual production capacity of 85,000 tonnes, which will mostly go to distilling customers in Speyside.

Furthermore, the new facility will create up to 40 jobs, according to fifth-generation, family-owned Simpsons Malt.

Tim McCreath, managing director of Simpsons Malt, 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.”

Simpsons Malt achieved B Corporation status in 2021.

The barley that will be used for malting production will be locally grown by farmers who are part of Simpsons Malt’s agricultural merchandising division, McCreath Simpson & Prentice.

The application received approval from the majority of representatives in attendance of a special meeting of Moray Council’s Planning and Regulatory Services Committee on 15 February.

McCreath added: “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 [Wednesday’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.”

In other malting-related news, last year Speyside distillery Benriach released the second edition of its single malt made entirely from barley malted at its floor maltings.