Bettaland celebrates its 10th anniversary
Spalding’s peat-free nursery Bettaland celebrated its 10th anniversary, with former Energy Minister John Hayes MP formally opening its award-winning green offices.
Bettaland was set up 10 years ago this May as the sister company to Organic Recycling – a family- owned business that offers leading composting facilities in biodegradable waste.
A shining example of sustainable business best practice, Bettaland was established to market the products of Organic Recycling and has successfully completed extensive trials on its entirely peat-free compost with Riseholme College at the University of Lincoln.
Both companies’ green efforts were recognised this month when Bettaland and Organic Recycling scooped a top Green Award from Investors in the Environment.
The new offices have been converted from redundant farm buildings on the company’s current site and have been built using reclaimed materials, such as bricks, slates and drainpipes. To also help the environment the building has internal eco lighting, and a biomass boiler to provide heating.
Managing Director Andrew Riddington said: “It is great to get recognition for the work that we have done so far. We’ve got planning permission to extend our current recycling operations to include anaerobic digestion and a biomass boiler. The £14 million pound project will produce enough electricity from a renewable resource to power more than 1,400 homes.
“We also have plans to build a 50 acre solar farm to generate heat for glasshouses in order to grow salad crops and exotic plants. It’ll mean we will be entirely carbon neutral, completely sustainable and reducing landfill and air miles.”
John Hayes MP said: “I first came here around 15 years ago when the farm had an interest in recycling. The business is now a significant local employer and Andrew is running a sustainable company that is economically successful.”
Bettaland has five members of staff, with extensive growing experience between them and its wholesale nursery grows more than 150,000 hardy nursery plants annually, including herbaceous perennials, shrubs, containerised trees, grasses and ferns.