The net zero team from Bristol-headquartered law firm Burges Salmon has advised on the first of a number of planned large, low-carbon indoor farms to supply salads to the UK retail and wholesale markets.
Each vertical farm is being designed to use 95% less water than conventional growing methods and save up to 3m lorry miles a year by replacing imports. 
Burges Salmon’s lawyers advised London-based GrowUp Farms on all aspects of the project at Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent.
GrowUp’s proprietary high-efficiency renewable energy system and energy contracting structure means the farms will be ideally placed to consistently deliver fresh, long-lasting salads.
They will also withstand the mounting environmental and economic pressures from inflation in transport, labour and commodity costs that have recently hit the fresh produce sector.
The Burges Salmon team working with GrowUp was led by director Alec Whiter and partner Nick Churchward from the firm’s energy projects practice, with assistance from Helen Scott-Lawler (partner, IP, trademarks and retail contracts), Euan Bremner (partner, real estate) Thomas Mark-Bell (senior associate, real estate), Lloyd James and Laura Sharples (partner and senior associate, construction), Ian Carnochan (partner, tax) and others.
GrowUp Farms managing director Marcus Whately said: “We’ve worked closely with Alec, Nick, and other members of Burges Salmon’s net zero team to achieve another important milestone in the GrowUp journey.
“The team’s energy and pragmatic advice have helped enormously and we look forward to working with them again.”
Alec Whiter added: “It is a pleasure to have worked alongside the GrowUp team and to have advised them on this significant project.
“This major new vertical farm comes at an exciting time in the development of the UK’s sustainable produce sector.”
Burges Salmon’s client partner for GrowUp Farms, Nick Churchward, pictured, said the firm had brought together experts from its energy, food & land use and built environment teams to help deliver the project.
“It was a superb team effort from all involved. This is a really exciting time for projects addressing key sustainability challenges and we look forward to assisting GrowUp and others as they work towards transforming the impact of UK businesses,” he added.
