Building work set to start on Scotland's first legal cannabis farm

CambridgeHOK is acting as the lead construction partner for Hilltop Leaf Ltd in the creation of Scotland’s first legal medical cannabis farm.

The purpose-built, multi-million-pound facility measures 1.1 hectares and occupies a high-security site.

The construction is happening in parallel to applications for the required MHRA and Home Office licensing required to produce cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs). Hilltop plans to have early license approval in the first quarter of 2021.

Backed by a host of investors from across the UK, the owners have committed more than £2m to get the initial building work off the ground to demonstrate the site is compliant with the required regulations and quality standards, including GAcP and GMP. Millions more capital investment will be required before a commercial product enters the UK pharmaceutical market.

CambridgeHOK is set to start four months of construction work on the glasshouse, and its associated infrastructure, in January 2021.

Hilltop hope to have the first grow started by summer 2021, providing the required licenses are obtained. More than 70,000 tonnes of earth have been removed or relocated to flatten and prepare the area for the glasshouse already.

CambridgeHOK sales manager Noel O'Leary, who has led the project from inception to build stage, is thrilled to see the site shaping up nicely.

He said: “Being involved in such a high-profile project is a real honour for myself and all the team at CambridgeHOK. Not only have we been asked to carry out the build, we have been involved from the start, using our experience and expertise to help deliver a really strong long-term business plan.”

Hamish Clegg, Hilltop CEO and co-founder, said: “We are delighted to work with CambridgeHOK and their highly-professional team as we strive to build a Medicinal Cannabis industry in the UK to compete with other established countries. The UK has an opportunity to really leverage its healthcare and horticultural expertise to create much-needed medicines and economic growth in the post pandemic era.”