Plan for £100m campus at Royal Agricultural University released

Planning permission for the project is due to be submitted later this year

Plans for a new £100m extension to the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) have been revealed.

The Innovation Village in Cirencester will house food producers, farmers, and research projects on a 29 acre site. They will look at issues such as climate change and biodiversity.

The RAU's vice chancellor, Professor Peter McCaffery, said it will be a "first in the UK".

"We want to establish a global centre for the world of land and food."

Prof McCaffery believes the Innovation Village could help British farmers in the future

"The challenge facing farmers is 'how do we enhance productivity and keep healthy soil with climate change?

"We want people at the cutting edge of research to join us," Prof McCaffery said.

The site will comprise of a number of areas including a Research and Innovation centre, live and work residential units, business start-up and support spaces and business conference spaces.

Associate Professor of Agriculture, Dr Nicky Cannon, said it was an "exciting" development that could help food production in the future.

"Farmers need new crops, if we have crops that grow well which we use heavily in our diets, we won't rely on imports in a climate crisis," he said.

James Bolesworth sees big advantages to the new development

James Bolesworth already runs his business, CRM AgriCommodities, from the existing RAU site, and also sees big advantages to the new development.

"To have people on hand who are in the same position or have been through that situation is very very valuable in helping you get past challenges," he said.

The RAU believes it will increase its contribution to the regional economy by 50% over the next five years, if the village is built.

That contribution is currently £52m.

A planning application will be submitted later in the year.