Giant greenhouse complex will be size of 80 football pitches

Britain's biggest greenhouse complex - the size of 80 football pitches - is under construction in Kent.

The Thanet Earth greenhouse complex site from the air (left) and a map of the planned site. Click to enlarge

When it is complete it will include seven 140-metre long glasshouses covering a 220-acre site.

Using the latest technologies the computer-controlled Thanet Earth complex will have the capacity to grow salad produce such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers which will be picked continuously 52-weeks per year.

Operators Fresca Group Ltd., say it will increase by 15 per cent the UK's crop of salad vegetables most of which currently have to be imported.

It will have its own power generating plants to heat the cavernous greenhouses and the eco-friendly combined heat and power system will as a by-product provide enough electricity to supply half the domestic power needs of 50,000 homes in north-east Kent near to where the £80m complex is being built on the Isle of Thanet.

advertisement

The greenhouses have been designed so crops can be grown suspended from the 8m-high ceilings so they are easier to pick and they will be grown in nutrient enriched water rather than soil.

They will grow more than 1.3m plants at any one time, be watered from seven 50m gallon reservoirs in a recyclable rainfall system and tended by a workforce of 550. Designers believe much of the CO2 produced by the complex will be absorbed naturally by the plants.

The industrial scale of Thanet Earth is fairly common in Europe but has never been attempted before in England. It has been sited in Kent because of the amount of natural light available throughout the year.

Chris Mack, Chairman of Fresca Group, one of Britain's biggest fresh produce suppliers, said: "It's taken a committed team over two years to turn the idea into a reality.

Framework for the Red Star tomato greenhouse at the Thanet Earth greenhouse complex

"We've worked closely with Thanet Council who have been very keen to attract this level of investment to help secure an agricultural future for the area.

"As a Kent-based company, we're very excited about developing in Thanet. The creation of so many jobs will further enhance our position as one of Kent's leading employers."

Steve McVickers who is in charge of Thanet Earth, said even lighting the giant complex at night would not be obtrusive because shades on the sides and roof would keep 95 per cent of the light inside.

"We need to let the plants have a natural sleep so we like to put them to bed in the afternoon naturally and then wake them up early at around midnight."