An unused office building in the middle of Hamilton could become a “working indoor urban farm,” according to a planning application.
While few details of the proposal were included in the online file yesterday, the planning application seeks in-principle approval to convert the vacant Victoria Hall into a farm with “various growing and cultivation areas across the various floor levels.”
Colin Campbell, one of the individuals behind the project, said it was still in its early stages, but he was optimistic a business model would be created to make it successful.
“If it makes sense – and we have every thought that it will – we are looking at 25 to 30 new jobs,” he said. “We will be working at creating value in the fullness of time and perhaps putting the company on the Bermuda Stock Exchange so Bermudians can invest in it.”
Mr. Campbell said he had long been concerned about food resilience on the island and believed that global climate change will create further challenges for the food supply in the future. He said that local farmers are also challenged to keep their costs down in the face of storms, variable rainfall, and thieves raiding their fields.
Mr. Campbell said the initial plan would be to use the building to grow fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, with the contained environment allowing them to grow year-round and reach store shelves soon after they are picked.
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