Project Status - Completed
- Start Date: 01/06/2019
- End Date: 31/03/2020
- Local Growth Fund allocation: £298,350
- Awarded to: Stewarts Garden Centres
Project Summary:
Investment into an innovative and highly productive state-of-the-art Agritech Glasshouse growing facility, creating improved materials handling, varied heating zones, incorporating low carbon technology and to create a horticultural-based education facility.
It will enable the nursery to deliver growth, both in terms of productivity and employees, and be competitive in the market and provide knowledge exchange with a variety of stakeholders such as Kingston Maurward College (KMC), local schools, people with learning disabilities, special interest groups and local businesses.
Stewarts Agritech Glasshouse became operational for the 2021 growing season. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, it is expected to be launched to the general public in Spring 2022 (15th April 2022) and the 'Education Facility' will be open to the public on the 1st September 2022.
View the End of Project Report.
Outcomes:
- First batches of production from Growing Facility
- Growing Facility open to the public
- Educational Facility open to the public
- 13 x Retained Jobs
- 13 x Upskilled Jobs
- 5 x New Jobs created
- 11 x Volunteer Positions created
- 1 hectare of commercial floorspace unlocked
- Increase in General Public footfall to Broomhill site
- Increase in Horticultural Tours footfall
- Increase in Educational Facility footfall
