Nick Hopwood
1 Sept 2018
Purchase of site for Wetley Moor Tree Nursery
In 2017, we spent a lot of time searching for potential sites to begin our nursery venture. We visited numerous locations but struggled to find the right balance between the growing conditions a site would need, proximity to a place we could live, and practical factors such as access for commercial viability.
Our main considerations when selecting a site were;
Soil Quality and Drainage - Fertile soil was essential for planting directly into the ground, with the correct pH and good drainage to avoid waterlogged heavy clay areas.
Water Availability - A reliable and consistent water source for irrigation was required, whether via mains supply, a borehole, or a licensed river source.
Climate and Microclimate - The site needed to be open enough to receive sufficient sunlight, while also benefitting from natural windbreaks to provide protection from strong winds and other elements.
Topography - Gentle slopes were ideal, as they supported good drainage without causing erosion. Steep slopes were unsuitable, as they made working with machinery difficult, complicated polytunnel construction, and risked creating frost pockets.
Accesibility - Good access was key. We needed somewhere that vehicles could reach easily for deliveries and customer visits, preferably near main roads, with space to add tracks for moving plants, soil, and compost around the site.
Space - The site required sufficient flat or gently sloping land for beds, tunnels, potting sheds, composting, and storage. It also needed to be large enough to accommodate the scale of operations planned for the nursery.
Pests and Disease risk - We aimed to select a site with sufficient distance from areas of high disease pressure, such as dense woodlands known to host specific tree pathogens. We also avoided locations with a history of persistent soil-borne diseases. Ideally, the land had not been commercially farmed for a long time - or at all - in order to reduce the likelihood of residual herbicides being present.
Legal and Environmental Considerations - The final factor was ensuring that the site had the appropriate land-use permissions and met any legal or environmental requirements.
Towards the end of 2017, we discovered that the Wetley Moor site was for sale. Although it did not tick every box and required some work to make it viable, it was the closest match to what we were looking for. The site also had the added benefit of being located on Wetley Moor common, a beautiful area with potential to enhance biodiversity - a cause very close to our hearts. Not only could we grow native trees and hedging to create attractive landscapes and support the environment, but we could also improve the Wetley Moor site to actively promote biodiversity. We submitted an offer immediately and acquired the site by September 2018. And the rest, as they say, is history!