Construction of an eagerly awaited new abattoir for the north-east could be one step closer.
This follows the Scottish Government’s decision to uphold an appeal by ANM Group to secure planning consent for its proposed extension to the Thainstone Business Park, near Inverurie.
The north-east farmers’ co-operative previously said construction of a new Scotbeef Inverurie abattoir at the site was dependent on it gaining consent for the business park extension.
The company’s current facilities are located at North Street in the centre of Inverurie.
Scotbeef Inverurie is a joint venture between ANM Group and Scotland’s largest red meat processor J.W. Galloway. ANM Group owns a 25% share in the company.
A new abattoir has been promised by the two companies over the past few years, however no concrete plans have been released yet.
ANM Group chief executive Grant Rogerson declined to comment on the abattoir but said the co-op welcomed news that its appeal had been upheld by government.
He said: “As one of Scotland’s leading farming, food and finance businesses, we are very proud of our strong history at Thainstone and continually strive to move the business forward on a positive basis. This expansion is a testament to our commitment to the Thainstone hub, our members and customers, the local community and the north-east.”
Aberdeenshire farmer and NFU Scotland livestock committee chairman, Charlie Adam, said construction of a new abattoir would make a big difference to farmers in the region.
He said: “The existing facilities are out of date and in the wrong place. A new abattoir is an opportunity to have something modern and fit for purpose.”
In particular Mr Adam said he was keen to see new technologies, including in-line clipping, included in any new abattoir.
J.W. Galloway was unavailable for comment on the issue yesterday.
