Brough firm continues work on food production development

Brough-based horticultural facilities specialist CambridgeHOK is a build partner on the project for Lincolnshire-based Beeswax Dyson Farming.

Work on the six hectare glasshouse packaging and cold store development in Carrington, near Boston, had been scheduled to start just days after the UK was placed into lockdown by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on March 23.

Louis Bradley, construction director at CambridgeHOK, said the announcement caused concerns over whether the project could start on time and the possible impact of indefinitely delaying a nine-month build.

He added: “Like all in construction companies we faced a difficult situation, especially as we were right at the start of scheduled site preparation work on this very important project.

“It was essential for our client to not have any delay as that could lead to potentially missing a full growing season, which of course would have caused significant financial loss and possibly even threatened the overall viability of the project.

“We followed Government guidelines over essential work and projects, which this is given it is British food production, and social distancing.

“We’ve also ensured that we have followed the advice of the Construction Leadership Council for firms working firms working in lockdown to ensure we could start on site safely.”

Work is now due to start on the foundations with 600 concrete piles already completed for the main building on the site.

Steel work for the glasshouse, which will form the frame of the structure, will start to appear in June.