Whisky giant Suntory drops plans for £150m facility in Ayrshire

Drinks giant Suntory Global Spirits has scrapped plans to build a controversial £150m whisky maturation facility in East Ayrshire. Permission was granted last year for the site at South Drumboy farm in Kilmarnock, after the Scottish government ministers overruled environmental objections. Suntory - which own American bourbon Jim Beam - had claimed the plant would bring about 45 jobs to the area. It produces several Scotch whisky brands including Laphroaig, Bowmore, Auchentoshan, Teacher's, Glen Garioch, Ardmore, and Ardray. Suntory said in a statement "While we are no longer progressing with the Kingswell project, we are redirecting investment to a local maturation facility. "Our investment in Scotland will continue as we remain focused on the long-term sustainability of our operations, brands and contribution to the economy." The firm told BBC News it could not provide details yet of the redirected investment. It previously estimated the new facility would invest about £150m into Ayrshire. The proposed facility would have held 500,000 barrels of spirits. Objectors to the proposal had expressed concerns over noise levels from the site and the possible impact on residents' water sup