A flower farm’s future has been saved now that its workers will be able to live on the site.
N J McWilliam & Co has been suffering from a dearth of local workers in recent years, and has hired an increasing number of staff from overseas to help at Haughhead Farm near Laurencekirk.
The employees have been staying in accommodation across Angus, which bosses of the 130-year-old company say is not a situation that can be maintained in the long term.
Without being able to put caravans on the site, which would be near daffodil fields, its future of sending cut flowers to supermarkets across Europe and even the USA was at risk.
A daffodil in the snow. Photo by Peter JollyPlanning documents submitted by N J McWilliam & Co to Aberdeenshire Council stated: “One of the main business operations is the production of high quality daffodil flowers and daffodil bulbs.
“The business has the capacity to produce one to two million bunches of daffodil flowers annually.
“Attracting labour to casual work such as this requires the business to offer suitable on-site accommodation.
“In previous years, it was possible to employ local people but this has dwindled over the years and is now non-existent.”
It added that the “current situation” involves seasonal workers residing in caravan parks and other accommodation in Arbroath, Forfar, Brechin and Stonehaven.
The planning papers stated: “These workers are essential to the present and future running of the farm and refusal of this proposal would make it impossible for the farmer to find accommodation for them, which in turn would put the future production of cut flowers at risk.”
Aberdeenshire Council granted planning permission with a few minor caveats, including that the accommodation shall only be occupied on a “temporary basis” and only between March and August.
It is hoped that the decision will enhance efficiency at the site, and reduce its carbon footprint by cutting down on the use of vehicles.
