Major research space to be completed next month

A major development to provide new research space at the University of Warwick is set to be completed next month ahead of being officially launched in the summer.Planning permission for the project at the greenhouse research facility Wellesbourne Campus was granted in February and work is currently underway on the 12,339 sq ft scheme.The project is a partnership between Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), one of the four UK Agritech Centres funded by Innovate UK, the innovator and developer, RIPE Building Services, and the university, which will coordinate research through its School of Life Sciences.It is the first major construction at Wellesbourne Campus since Warwick acquired the site in 2004.The new structure, named the Natural Light Growing (NLG) Centre, is being built by RIPE using patented materials and construction technology and will allow the full spectrum of natural light through into the protective growing environment.This is expected to increase crop yield and speed of growth as well as improve qualities like taste, plant health and vigour.The university has said the beneficial effects of the full spectrum growing conditions on crop plants are not yet fully understood and the greenhouse will act as a demonstration facility and experimental hub to study several crop characteristics.