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The Garlic Farmer, Isle of Wight

    9m Euro Tunnel, SAS Software

 Worthley Hall, Walled Garden, South Yorkshire

     Fleurie Nursery, Barnham

     Taunton Dean Borough Council

CASE STUDY: MULTISPAN POLYTUNNELS FOR TAUNTON   

In the county town of Somerset, a 2.8ha site for Taunton Deane Borough Council is fitted out with a purpose-built 1,000sq m glasshouse and a six-bay multispan polytunnel for the growing of the town's bedding stock and hanging baskets. The project was completed at the beginning of May, with construction work carried out by Rok Construction, and Cropley Glasshouses undertaking a turnkey operation that included the fitting of the high-spec glasshouse. Cropley managing director Jerry Cropley, says: "I used D&N Polytech to erect all the polytunnels as they are one of the biggest builders of polythene in the country."

He adds: "I used them because there are not many specialist companies geared up with the right equipment. We have dedicated machines and pieces of kit for glasshouses and they have equipment such as an auger for the foundations of the tunnels."

There are six bays of 9.6m by 39m multispan units supplied by National Polytunnels, and the framing on the verticals is box-section steel for added strength.

So what is the secret to a successful polytunnel? On site, putting the finishing touches to the project, D&N Polytech partner Dennis Connolly says:"Using somebody like ourselves (is key). We have often had calls in the past from companies that have tried to build a multispan and we have had to start all over again.

"This is due to the fact that health and safety certificates are required for many parts of the operation."

The company has two crews of four and work on the Somerset site lasted five weeks due to a few breaks because of adverse weather conditions.

Foundation work was followed by ground sheets and then putting uprights in place. Stringlines were used to set trues from one dimension of the building to the other and for the width of each bay. Ready-mix concrete was then used to set the foundation shoes and this was followed by setting outside stanchions. To complete the trellis work, scissor lifts and access platforms were used to build the structure into these stanchions. The next stage was setting the gutters, ridging the structure, building the ends and this was followed by putting in the ground rails.

Connolly says: "Wind is our biggest challenge when we are putting on the top covers."

The cladding material specified is Luminance polythene, which is first taken off the roll. A rope is then tied to the polythene and the whole cover pulled over from one end to the other and pinned on one side. The sheet is stretched at the other end using customised tools the company has developed. Pins are then inserted along the gutters to make sure the bays are safe and then the whole cover is pinned, tensioning as they go along.

"To cover health and safety issues we put up safety nets either side of the gutter to break any fall," he says.

Connolly uses polytunnels from Fordingbridge and National Polytunnels as he has found these to be of good quality. He says: "Multispans are the cream of the polytunnels and these days Luminance is usually favoured as a covering more than the standard clear polythene."

Parks superviser Josep Galicia and parks manager for Taunton Deane Borough Council Chris Mulcahy oversaw the project. Mulcahy says: "Our nursery site was in the very heart of town.This new facility is twice the size and has much-improved access as it is on the outskirts of Taunton on the Stoke Road."

The council grows 500,000 bedding plants each year from seed supplied by Ball Colegrave. Plugs supplied by FJ Jackson & Son and Pentland Plants are used for the 2,500 hanging baskets and containers in the town.

Now growing for other local authorities, Mulcahy says: "With increased capacity on this site our aim is to attract more councils in the South West to use our services, together with local businesses."

Its credentials are certainly high, as both Taunton and neighbouring Wellington won their categories in the Britain in Bloom competition in 2007, with Taunton now going forward for the national competition this year.

    Small Holding, Kent

    ER Dennes Refurb, 28ft Standard Tunnel