Plans to help BrewDog’s ambitions for carbon neutral future approved by councillors

Plans to create an anaerobic digestion plant at a north-east brewery have been approved.

The Formartine area committee met to discuss the proposals lodged by BrewDog for its headquarters in Ellon.

BrewDog applied for planning permission to build an anaerobic digestion plant, water treatment plant, CO2 recovery plant and an associated energy generation centre at its  site on Balmacassie Drive.

The idea behind the proposal is to help the company become “the world’s most sustainable drinks firm” and attain carbon neutrality by 2022.

The plant will handle liquid residue from the brewery through a low-energy treatment, and will also use clean heat.

The plans have now been given the go-ahead by councillors.

Martin Dickie, co-founder of BrewDog said: “Climate change in business isn’t happening fast enough, we need to implement fast and meaningful change to make things right in everything we do.

“BrewDog is implementing its environmental strategy in three focused areas, the offset of all carbon immediately, reducing our carbon footprint and reducing waste.

“When we say offsetting all carbon, that’s points one two and three, offsetting the carbon footprint of all ingredients, can, bottle and importing process.

“At the end of last year we bought over 2,000 acres in the Scottish Highlands to plant over a million trees over the next year, which will offset us for the following five years.

“The reduction of our carbon footprint is arguably the most important part, the planning application is pivotal to significantly reduce our carbon release during the brewing of beer.”

Councillor Isobel Davidson, convener of the committee, said: “I very much welcome this.

“I have some concerns about the burn but I’m really interested to hear the brewery is intending on taking the water back in.

“It’s up to SEPA to monitor and license any waste water coming out of the system so it sounds like everything’s in hand.

“I absolutely support this, I think it’s good to see it and I very much look forward to it being in place.”

Councillor Gillian Owen, however, had been keen for the planning application to be refused due to the adverse impact on the landscape.

Meanwhile, plans to build 248 homes near to the Blackdog Industrial Estate have been deferred.

It was deferred for further discussions on potential noise issues from a neighbouring development as well as the proposal to change the site of proposed community facilities.