A landed estates business has completed the modernisation of a regenerative farm centre as part of its drive towards Net Zero.
Bradford Estates, which is responsible for around 12,000 acres on the Staffordshire-Shropshire border, has opened the tech-enabled facility at Woodlands Farm in Weston-under-Lizard.
The centre piece of the work is an extended grain store increasing storage capacity by over 30 per cent.
Solar panels have also been placed on the east facing roof of the complex, the energy from which is being used to power the drying of grain.
The extension will enable the storage of another 2,000 tonnes of grain, increasing the site’s capacity to 6,000 tonnes.
The building has the latest tech controls in place to minimise energy usage, and the road infrastructure was built using low carbon concrete as part of the business’ drive to become net zero on its environmental impact.
Alongside these sustainable building practices, 500 new trees, including a beech avenue, have been planted on landscaped areas around the farm centre to boost the green appearance and capture carbon.
Senior Construction Manager Graham Young said: “The new grain store not only increases our capacity for storage but allows us to work towards our goal to achieve net zero by 2030.
“We have worked with local contractors on this project, including the groundworks, construction, and electrical works, to make use of skilled partners in the region and support the local economy.
“With significant growth anticipated, this modernisation will provide the capacity to store more of our own crops in one location without the need for additional transportation.”
Managing Director Alexander Newport said: “Bradford Estates is a responsible and responsive steward that promotes the use of sustainable practices so the new facilities at Bradford Farming’s headquarters advances our journey towards becoming the market leading agribusiness in the West Midlands.”
