A Gedney Dyke agriculture firm has been given the green light for an innovative new building.
JEPCO says it is needed due to climate change, increased fuel costs and a lack of available seasonal labour.
It’s also been praised for gaining a separate but linked application to build a private road that would mean traffic using its Norfolk House Farm site in Main Road and the nearby AH Worth site would be able to access the A17 without driving through Gedney Dyke village.
South Holland District Council’s Planning Committee passed both the road application that would lead out on to Roman Bank, and the hydroponic glasshouse and associated buildings last night.
The site is 30ha with the ‘vast majority’ being the glasshouse for the type of growing that involves using mineral nutrients in a solvent to grow plants rather than soil.
JEPCO’s Simon Creasey told the committee: “This application represents our desire to move from seasonal lettuce production to a 52-week sustainable, low carbon, hydrogen development.
“The reasons are clear. The paucity and availability of seasonal labour, the environmental impact of the cost of fuel and the weather events that we’re increasingly seeing, such as the hot weather in the last three days, are making the future of our company uncertain.
Ward member Coun Reynolds praised applicants for working with residents, particularly with regards to the new road.
“The people of Gedney Dyke are really happy with the outcome,” she said. “The plant is a massive investment. The jobs created has got to be a bonus for the area.
“If more planning applications were dealt in this way there would be a lot less confrontation and unrest with residents.”
There were no objections with councillors unanimously voting the application through.
Coun Rodney Grocock said: “I welcome this new investment. It’s so welcome to hear an applicant that’s prepared to listen to residents at the expense of putting a road to link two others roads in their programme to stop traffic going through the village.”
