Innis and Gunns will build the first large-scale brewery in Edinburgh in 150 years. The new £20m brewery, in partnership with Heriot-Watt University, has been given the go-ahead by the City Of Edinburgh Council and will be built on a two-hectare site at the University’s research park.
As well as brewing Innis & Gunn’s flagship beers, the brewery will include a high-speed canning and bottling line, allowing the company to create all of their products under one roof.
The project will create 30 new jobs and a collaboration with the University’s School of Brewing and Distilling will see undergraduate and postgraduate students spend time on placement in the brewery.
Founder Dougal Gunn Sharp said: “I have wanted to build this brewery in Edinburgh for almost two decades and as the business has grown and gone from strength to strength, the importance has only increased.
“To have planning permission now granted at such an inspiring site is an important step forward.
“Plans for the brewery have taken a natural pause as we all continue to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, but we are committed to building the brewery when the time is right.
“Although we cannot give an exact date for breaking ground, the longer timeframe does have some positives including more options in the market for the best low-carbon equipment and technology, which have the potential to change the game in terms of energy usage in brewing and packaging processes.”
Lynda Johnstone, global director of estates and facilities at Heriot-Watt University added: “This is an exciting time for everyone involved and it’s a great honour to have the first brewery to be built in Edinburgh in 150 years located within the Heriot-Watt Research Park.
“This is a great addition to the Research Park which is already recognised internationally as a centre for high calibre science and engineering research.”