A LISTED building that formed part of what was once considered the oldest licensed distillery in Scotland is set to be demolished after councillors approved plans to tear it down.

The demolition of former exciseman’s house at the site of the old Littlemill Distillery in Bowling was given the green light by members of the planning committee at West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) on Wednesday, December 14.

The B-listed ruined building is the only surviving structure on the site following the closure of the distillery in 1995 and the demolition of the remaining buildings following a fire in 2004.

Following the fire, only the ruins of the building remain on site.

However, the bid to demolish the remaining structure was held up after an objection from Bowling and Milton Community Council.

They said the building was 'not dangerous and is suitably distant from the nearest footpath and fenced off.'

They go on to say the structure has been 'deliberately allowed to deteriorate' and that they were objecting because 'additional houses will be constructed on the site following demolition.'

However, a report by a WDC official, put before the committee on Wednesday, stated: "Whilst the condition of the building is extremely disappointing, following a full assessment of the condition, the remaining fabric and historic features, together with the works that would be required to redevelop the building it is concluded that the building is incapable of meaningful repair.”

The report also points out that Historic Environment Scotland has not objected to the proposed demolition.

The former distillery site has an extensive planning history.

Following the closure of the distillery in 1995, a variety of planning applications have been granted over the years.

Three separate sites were proposed for residential development with sites to the north of Dumbarton Road and a site to the south of Dumbarton Road.

In 1996, planning permission was granted for the site for 25 residential units including two within the former Exciseman’s House that remains in place.

The last casks of whisky from Littlemill are now held by the Loch Lomond Group at its Loch Lomond Distillery in Alexandria.

In 2019, the Loch Lomond Group announced that documentary evidence had been unearthed from 1773 stating that ‘Robert Muir of Littlemiln’ had been granted the first ever licence by the Government of King George III to “retail ale, beer and other excisable Liquors”.