Work Begins on the Regional Agricultural Centre
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s initiative to create the Regional Agricultural
Centre for the North of England took a major step forward today (Wednesday 4 June)
when construction work began on site.
The £5.1m project includes a suite of offices, plus a café and shop which will
promote and sell regional produce. It is the first agricultural society in the
UK to develop such an initiative.
Heather Parry, the Society’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “We have all worked
long and hard to reach this day so it’s great to actually see construction begin.
For the agricultural industry, it will provide a much needed centre and it will
provide a great place to shop and enjoy good quality food and drink from our region.”
The Society’s office staff will re-locate to the building.
The building has been designed by P+HS Architects and the project is being supported
by Yorkshire Forward. It is a complex development which includes special features
to make it sustainable and to minimise the impact on the environment. Panels and
information boards will be used so visitors can see the sustainable elements to
help understanding and to encourage others to sustainable options.
The building will have a timber frame and sheep’s wool will be used in the walls
as insulation for the offices. Rainwater will be harvested, a ground source heat
pump will heat the building and solar thermal roof panels will provide some of
the hot water. The shop and café will have a “green” sedum roof and a dry stone
wall outer wall.
A registered charity, the Society is best known as the organiser of the Great
Yorkshire Show and Countryside Live. It is anticipated that construction will
take about 11 months. Because of the building’s position, neither of the shows,
nor the many events which take place year round on the showground will be affected.
Over the last decade the Society has spent more than £12m upgrading the 250 acre
site which is the venue for a wide range of events - from the Yorkshire International
Business Convention to private weddings.
Stuart Falshaw, Managing Director of building contractors,
Houseman & Falshaw, with Heather Parry,
Deputy Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.