It was the stuff of dreams when a Highland laird converted an old hen house into a craft gin distillery which was soon after crowed UK “shed of the year.”
But one year later, it has emerged that Walter Micklethwait, of the Inshriach Estate near Aviemore, did not have planning permission for the project.
The 37-year-old spent two years transforming the dilapidated hen house into a shack which also boasts its own wild west-themed saloon and bar with a grand piano, and a shop selling hand-crafted items and farm produce.
In July last year the converted building was crowned Shed of the Year, beating 2,520 entries to win the title.
But last week Mr Micklethwait lodged a retrospective planning application for the project, which also includes a small scale glamping business and bothy.
The application also includes future proposals to reconstruct an old railway station on site to provide extra distilling space, using materials from the dismantled Strathspey steam railway station.
The application was lodged with the Highland Council’s planning application system, but the Cairngorm National Park Authority (CNPA) has since called it in.
Yesterday Mr Micklethwait said that he has been in talks with Highland Council’s planning officers for about a year about the wording of the application and that gaining permission should be a “formality”.
He added: “The reason we have to get it is that if other people want to do something and get in touch with the council, they need to know exactly what’s going on here and make sure all the Ts are crossed and Is are dotted.
“The next stage of the distillery is the railway station, so as soon as we have got planning permission we can go ahead with that. It all depends on planning, but we will aim to start that at some point this year.”
A CNPA spokeswoman said: “We have just called in this planning application. We will be looking at it and processing it in the usual manner.
“The reason we call applications in is because we deem it to be of significance to the national park. The fact it is retrospective is neither here nor there, and it still has to be dealt with like any other.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “We are not aware of any pre application advice having been given that would have indicated that planning permission would be granted ahead of due consideration taking into account all material considerations.”
