The dome, which is being built on the edge of Royal Wootton Bassett, near Swindon, is set to be twice the height of a London double-decker bus and will be trialled and tested over the coming year.

It’s being built as part of a world-first new food production trial, aiming to prove that landfill sites can be transformed into fruit and vegetable growing hubs.

Sustain Wiltshire says it aims to supply up to 80 per cent of all fruit and vegetable requirements for Royal Wootton Bassett, Purton and Brinkworth with domes like this, and is planning a future expansion to cover Malmesbury too if all goes to plan.

Landfill gas trapped from the Crapper and Sons’ landfill site just off Brinkworth Road in Royal Wootton Bassett will be turned into heat, power and carbon dioxide to create giant inflated growing domes.

These will essentially act as giant greenhouses, offering the perfect year-round growing conditions for fruit and vegetables that are not affected by changing weather.

Each dome is expected to be capable of producing 10 tonnes of fruit and vegetables.

The huge dome is the first of its kind (Image: Sustain)

“This is a huge day for Sustain Wiltshire, for our local community, for the environment, and for the waste sector,” said Nick Ash, project director for Sustain Wiltshire and Crapper and Sons Landfill Ltd.

“On this one site alone, we have the potential to produce over 8,000 tonnes of affordable fruit and vegetables annually, creating 130 new jobs, while preventing the release of 3,800 tonnes of CO2 each year. 

“Rolled out globally, this technology has the potential to change the face of food production as we know it.!

The first dome is already on site, and 20 more units are planned [mock-up image provided] (Image: Sustain)

Once perfected Sustain Wiltshire, a Community Interest Company, hopes to gain permission for 100 of the 40m x 20m growing domes which would be erected at the site over the next 10-15 years, ready to feed the local community with affordable produce. 

The first growing dome is already on site and will be operated for 12 months to perfect the design.

Then, with planning permission, the construction of the first phase of 20 units can begin. The completion of these will see the first community supplies delivered in 2028/9.

Each dome can produce 10 tonnes of fruit and veg, regardless of the weather (Image: Sustain)

The ‘ground-breaking’ technology has the potential to put an end to the need for ‘out of season’ produce that’s currently shipped or flown into the UK.

Airlock doors will ensure that no unwanted insects or pollen can enter, helping to ensure biosecurity.  

However, beehives will be kept in the growing domes to promote pollination, and the honey will be available to the local community.

Sustain Wiltshire also believes the domes will enable them to keep the cost of fruit and vegetables lower than major supermarkets.Â