'Innovative' vertical farming unit plans in open countryside near Beverley deferred by councillors

East Riding councillors have deferred plans to build an “innovative” vertical farming unit and offices on a field near Beverley.

A town council, two parish councils and 24 residents have opposed plans for the scheme in open countryside, south of Woodmansey village hall.

It involves a 14 metre high unit, measuring 7,800 square metres, where produce would be grown in stacks, as well as two office buildings, parking for 118 cars and an “energy generation” building.

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Ward councillor Kerri Harold said residents were worried about the impact on “beautiful Long Lane and surrounding countryside” and the unit’s “size and scale”. “We feel small units would be acceptable, but large scale vertical farming is way beyond anything we could have imagined,” she said.

Developers want to build on land south of Woodmansey Village HallDevelopers want to build on land south of Woodmansey Village Hall
Developers want to build on land south of Woodmansey Village Hall

However the agent for developer Key Growing Ltd told councillors “technology has moved on” and growing crops indoors using LED lights was more environmentally friendly than trucking them in from southern Europe.

Committee member Coun Geraldine Mathieson was concerned approval could open the floodgates for similar applications. She said it’d be better to refuse the plans and have them go to appeal for an inspector to decide, as the technology is so new there have been no legal rulings on whether it is an “agricultural” use.

Coun Denis Healy said: “Is this the right place for effectively a factory? I don’t think it is.”

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But others supported the idea, including Coun Charlie Dewhirst who said farmers already put up very large sheds, and this would “clearly be a primary production site for food.” And Coun Gary McMaster said: “We need to think outside the box when we factor in food security and global issues.”

The committee agreed to defer the plans for a more detailed landscaping scheme and clarification from the Government on how to classify the unit.

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