PLANS for a new £600,000 horticultural nursery have been submitted to South Lakeland District Council.

Spearheaded by Marc Charnley, of Charnley's Home and Garden Centre in Dalton, the new nursery would be located on land off the A595(School Road) in Kirkby.

The new nursery would include steel framed portal buildings, glasshouses and poly tunnels.

Mr Charnley acquired the land in 2020 and would use the nursery to provide his Dalton garden centre 'with the necessary plants throughout the year', said the plans.

A report said that due to Brexit and issues regarding sourcing plants, Mr Charnley intends to go back to homegrown plants and shrubs.

It says: "This will provide a dedicated facility for the supply of plants and shrubs to Mr Charnley’s garden centre business at Dalton.

“The remainder of the land will be kept as grass for a flock of sheep (40 breeding ewes) and cropped for hay.

"The nursery will grow over 400 varieties of plants and shrubs all year round to supply the garden centre, which will include shrubs, perennials, annual bedding & basket plants (semihardy), climbers, hedging plants and groundcover plants.

"The basis of the nursery activity will be the propagation of plants and shrubs and the growing on of the plants to a saleable commodity.

“The plants will be established from either seed rooted cuttings or young potted plants. The plants once established will be potted and repotted, as they establish and grow - until ready for sale."

There are also plans for log cabin at the site while the business establishes itself.

A report said the nursery would be a seven-day operation from 8am to 5pm.

Outside the normal working hours, Mr Charnley, who will be living on-site, will undertake regular checks of the site and will be on hand for any site emergencies.

The report said heat, water, snow/wind, power cuts, intrusion and theft are reasons why a member of staff will need to be on hand 24 hours.

The nursery will require two full-time nursery workers and three part-time seasonal nursery workers.

The report said Mr Charnley’s father, who is 70 years old, has more than 40 year’s horticultural experience and knowledge of the propagation of plants. He will assist in training and developing the staff with the necessary skills to develop the nursery, it said.

The investment cost of establishing the nursery, including buying the land, will be £600,000, according to the plans.