Plans for a one million sq ft facility in Cambridge that would combine agriculture and technology to develop solutions to global food insecurity have been submitted for approval by SmithsonHill . The Arc facility is expected to cost £ 500 m ( $ 150 million ) and is the result of a partnership between Russell Smith Ltd and Hill Commercial Ltd . The facility would act as an incubator for companies aiming to combine farming with science to develop agricultural technology . In order to overcome these issues, world-changing, innovative AgriTech spaces must be established where we can share ideas and learnings and where we can compete on a global scale with other countries,” said Emma Fletcher, Managing Director at SmithsonHill. SmithsonHill is planning to open the facility in 2022 , with construction due to start in 2019 , subject to planning permission being granted .
Plans for a one million sq ft facility in Cambridge that would combine agriculture and technology to develop solutions to global food insecurity have been submitted for approval by SmithsonHill . The Arc facility is expected to cost £ 500 m ( $ 150 million ) and is the result of a partnership between Russell Smith Ltd and Hill Commercial Ltd . The facility would act as an incubator for companies aiming to combine farming with science to develop agricultural technology . SmithsonHill is planning to open the facility in 2022 , with construction due to start in 2019 , subject to planning permission being granted .