GrowUp Farms’ site near Sandwich has been given the green light to push ahead with expansion plans that will increase output by 40%.
The height of the vertical farming company’s Pepperness site at Discovery Park near Sandwich will be increased to 24.9m from 18.9m to accommodate more growing chambers.
There will also be a new chiller building with loading bays, a new plant building, parking spaces for 30 cars and three HGV vehicles and provision of 27 ground-level cooler units.
The expansion will also enable the company to double the number of full-time employees from 30 to 60.
“Getting the green light from the planning department at Dover District Council means we can really start to ramp up production at Pepperness, supplying more Fresh Leaf Co to Iceland stores around the country as well as launching a new salad brand later this year,” said co-founder Kate Hofman.
The vertical farm was the first in the UK to launch a branded salad into a major supermarket with the launch of Fresh Leaf Co into Iceland stores across the UK earlier this year.
“Discovery Park is the perfect location for our farm, and we are thrilled to be able to be part of the really supportive business community there as well as being an employer of local people,” she added.
The company, which began as a small unit in London 10 years ago, launched the Pepperness farm following a £100m investment last year.
“Our R&D team are working hard to solve some of the challenges that will allow us to grow other crops such as identifying heritage seed varieties that can’t be grown conventionally and improving the growth cycle of certain plants,” explained Hofman.
“Vertical farming is very much a long-term solution to the problems we have seen recently caused by climate change and issues with supply chains, which have led to a shortage of salad vegetables in supermarkets for fresh produce.”
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