BrewDog has revealed its plans to build an eco-hotel, distillery and outdoor centre, while establishing the biggest native woodland and peatland restoration project in the UK.
The Ellon-based brewer purchased the Kinrara Estate in January this year, after a commercial deal fell through for 2,050 acres of land north of Loch Lomond last August.
The estate was being sold by estate agents Galbraith for £7.5m, but the purchase price is not known.
As a result, its lost forest project was delayed and they were unable to plant trees in the winter.
The company now intends to start work on the regeneration scheme this summer, working with Scottish Woodlands on the 9,308 acres of land.
BrewDog claims the estate is bigger than 17 countries and has started work in building the £20m ‘bioplant’.
The project is aiming to “turbo charge” the company’s sustainability plans, cutting its carbon footprint per pint by 40% this year.
BrewDog’s carbon footprint increased during 2020 as it increased home deliveries to ensure survival, as its many pubs and restaurants were forced to close.
The carbon footprint of its business worldwide was 74,652 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
It claims the project has the ability to sequester up to 1 million tonnes of carbon over 100 years, although the exact amount will depend on the outcome of surveys and a consultation this spring to ensure the right trees are planted in the right places to maximise carbon capture.
More than three million trees are planned to be planted, alongside restoring thousands of acres of degraded peatland to help return life to habitats, encourage biodiversity and store carbon.
BrewDog has so far invested more than £50m on reducing its environmental impact.
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