Oldham community farm, Green Screens

  • Mobilane Green Screen

When Crompton Cemetery in Shaw was earmarked for development in 2008 into a community facility to support people with disabilities, as well as the wider community, enabling people to grow a range of vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers, Oldham Council faced several challenges.

The main consideration was to clear the site and secure it with boundary fencing. Following this would be the creation of a network of paths, beds and hard standings to bring the site into use, together with the erection of the polytunnels, water and electric services and welfare facilities.

The boundary wall was not high enough to limit access by vandals, yet any attempt to increase this wall in height or build a fence behind it would require planning consent and almost certainly be opposed by the local owner occupiers who had historically complained about the site.

The council required a solution which would make the site secure while providing adequate screening, yet which would ideally fit in with the project’s horticultural and environmental ethic. As Geoff Colebrook, Landscape Designer with Oldham Council explains; “I was aware of Mobilane Green Screens and considering the site’s past history and possible limitations, I decided that this product would be ideal. They would effectively screen the site from the owner occupiers while providing security to this boundary side.

The installation of the screens took place in the autumn of 2008 and given the fact that they have had only one growing season, growth has been superb.

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Mobilane Green Screen

Mobilane Green Screen

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PlantGuide

PlantGuide