Peating plant at Simpsons Malt in Berwick gets the green light

Simpsons Malt’s Tweed Valley Maltings headquarters.

Simpsons Malt Limited has been granted planning permission by Northumberland County Council to build a new peating plant on land at its Tweed Valley Maltings headquarters in Berwick.

The plant will enable the fifth-generation family business to double the production capacity for peated malt – a product predominantly used by distillers to produce peated whisky – to 20,000 tonnes per year.

The development also aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, with the installation of a CentriAir high scrubber and centrifuge system a significant part of the overall project cost.

This technology is specifically designed to reduce both odour emissions and particulates, while improving the quality of the emitted air.

It will also improve peat use efficiency, with less peat being required per tonne of malt.

Tim McCreath, Simpsons Malt managing director, said: “We’re delighted to be pressing ahead with this project, which will enable us to meet a demand for peated malt within the distilling sector.

“Our investment in the latest technology also highlights our commitment to operating as efficiently and sustainably as possible, with consideration for our neighbours in the Tweedside Trading Estate.”

Ground work has already commenced on the project, with the plant set to be operational later this year.

The peating plant is one of several developments currently on-going at the UK’s largest malting site – with an Energy Centre, a new germination and kilning vessel and malt storage silos all under construction.