BrewDog wins consent for brewery move

Brewer BrewDog has won planning consent to build a new brewery that will allow it to increase its production by eight times.

Councillors have allowed BrewDog to relocate its operation from its Fraserburgh home to Potterton on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

The move will allow the brewery to produce more than 2million bottles of beer every month.

Members overturned the recommendation of council planners who said they were "significantly contrary" to policy.

BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie said the "very exciting" project required a large site close to the city and good transport links.

BrewDog expects to use water from boreholes on the site and barley grown in local fields to produce some of its beer and will be creating renewable energy for power. The development includes a visitor centre which will attract tourists to the area. Planning director Christine Gore told councillors that the plans were "significantly contrary to the development plan" because the development was on greenbelt land. "There is no doubt it is an exciting development," she said. "I think the applicant has provided a strong case for the proposed development on this site. "Unfortunately, given the particular location of the site, officers do not feel able to recommend anything other than refusal."