AN AWARD-winning distillery based in Longparish is planning to build a new facility featuring a tasting area and shop.

River Test Distillery located in Southside Road has submitted a planning application to build the new purpose-built distillery and associated parking.

The new facility is planned to the south-east of the existing distillery which is housed within the garage of River Barn Cottage in Longparish.

The distillery would house the existing distillation equipment currently housed in the garage of River Barn Cottage.

READ MORE: Plans submitted to Test Valley Borough Council

This includes an iStill unit which forms the focal point of the distillation process.

The new distillery would provide further space to allow the expansion of production and would provide space for a second iStill.

A shop would provide the focus for visitors, while a masterclass/tasting area would provide a space for group visits and gin sampling.

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The visitor space would also incorporate a meeting space for guided tours of the distillery.

Support spaces including visitor toilets and car parking for both staff and visitors are also proposed.

A planning document in the application said: "Firstly, the proposals would create a new purpose-built facility for the River Test Distillery which would enable the business to continue growing and thriving.

"Secondly, the new distillery will provide support for the local rural economy through the attraction of tourists to the distillery tours and masterclasses, and as the business grows it will present employment opportunities for local people.

"In addition, the expansion of the distillery will help to put Test Valley on the map for tourism. All of which help to support a prosperous rural economy.

"In addition, the River Test Distillery places sustainability at its heart. The barley, water and botanicals used to make the gin in the distilling process are all grown and sourced from the immediate surrounds of the site. The benefits of the proposals will be discussed in further detail throughout this statement."

The site, situated just outside the Longparish Conservation Area, contains a number of listed buildings.

It is adjacent to the River Test, which is a site of special scientifc interest (SSSI).

The River Test Distillery, founded in 2017, started as a small business operating from a converted garage.

It is seeking to build the new facility following its “exponential” growth and because the current building the distillery is housed in is “no longer fit for purpose”.

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The business has been supported by grants from both Test Valley Borough Council and the Loddon and Test Leader programme which has enabled it to establish as a business and grow over the last few years.

A start-up grant was given to the business by Test Valley Borough Council in 2018 and the business received £2,000 from Loddon and Test.

The River Test Distillery was named England’s best London dry gin at the World Gin Awards 2020, and also won gold and silver medals at San Francisco 2021, a distiller’s master medal from the Spirits Business awards. It was also selected as one of the three finalists for the Test Valley New Business of the Year Award in November 2021.

To read more about the proposal, check with reference number 23/01336/FULLN in Test Valley Borough Council’s planning portal: view-applications.testvalley.gov.uk/online-applications.