Plans submitted for cannabis joint venture
Plans have been submitted for the first indoor, purpose-built medicinal cannabis facility on the Isle of Man.
GrowLab Organics, which has been offered a conditional licence to extract, manufacture, import and export the drug, hopes to secure permission for what would be one of the first facilities in the British Isles producing cannabis for medicinal use.
London and Oxfordshire-based architect Mailen Design has drawn up the plans for the cultivation and processing facility, which would allow the growing and harvesting of cannabis plants alongside processing facilities for conversion into medicine and distribution to patients. Funding for the community-owned farm has been raised through Seedrs with more than £6m from 2,200-plus investors.
Plans have been submitted for the first indoor, purpose-built medicinal cannabis facility on the Isle of Man.
GrowLab Organics, which has been offered a conditional licence to extract, manufacture, import and export the drug, hopes to secure permission for what would be one of the first facilities in the British Isles producing cannabis for medicinal use.
London and Oxfordshire-based architect Mailen Design has drawn up the plans for the cultivation and processing facility, which would allow the growing and harvesting of cannabis plants alongside processing facilities for conversion into medicine and distribution to patients. Funding for the community-owned farm has been raised through Seedrs with more than £6m from 2,200-plus investors.
The designs feature enclosed growing rooms needed to recreate daylight in a highly controlled environment.
Ben Mailen, director at Mailen Design, said: “The design brief was to create a facility that achieves two main objectives. Firstly, it needs to be a highly functional space that efficiently caters to the technical demands of growing natural products, particularly cannabis. Secondly, it must present an open and inviting front face for a global headquarters building, with the intention of reshaping people’s perception of cannabis cultivation and use. By doing so, it aims to challenge any negative stigmas associated with the industry and foster a more positive and progressive outlook.”
Alex Fray, chief executive at GLO, said: “The emerging cannabis sector is potentially the most exciting global development of this generation and has the capability to transform the quality of life for millions of people. GLO’s mission is to help people live better through the power of cannabis, whilst reducing the need for people to source cannabis from illicit sources for medicinal purposes.”
Tim Crookall, minister for enterprise on the Isle of Man, said: “The approval of a licence to produce medicinal cannabis products on the Isle of Man represents the dawn of a new economic sector. It will drive high-value economic diversification and provide new jobs and training opportunities as well as encourage inward investment.”
Earlier this month, a public consultation was held on the Isle of Man where members of the public were invited to tour the proposed GrowLab facility through virtual reality. Construction is expected to start in autumn 2023.
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