Newspan Building Solutions Ltd have started work at Tong Garden Centre as part of the site's £4million investment. Mark Farnsworth and Tom Megginson took over the centre in 2015 with the aim to not only re-establish Tong GC as the local icon it once was but to also further enhance the centres reputation and offering. The award-winning garden centre is now one of the biggest independently owned garden centres in Yorkshire and their new project will see them get even bigger.

Phase 1 of the new development will include a new warehouse, plant canopy, indoor soft play facility with family friendly coffee shop and an events building. Planning approval for the project, which is located in the Green Belt, was secured by Pleydell Smithyman and the work is already well underway.

Newspan have already completed the new warehouse and have started work on the new plant canopy, which is being extended off the existing building’s steelwork. Once complete the new plant sales area will feature overhead sectional glazed doors, providing a flexible covered sales area. Newspan will then move on to erect the 4-span building that will house the events area, soft play area and family coffee shop. The site will eventually welcome a two-storey building on site and lakeside cabins which will allow various educational and horticultural visits. Once the project is complete Tong will create additional 40 -50 jobs for the local community, something that is very important to the owners.

With garden centre buildings at the core of Newspan’s operation Mark Murray, the Director of Newspan, is thrilled to be a part of the job: “Tong is a fantastic project and we are excited to be underway. We knew of Tong Garden Centre before we became involved with the project and we really like what Mark and Tom have done with the site since taking ownership. The new development will no doubt have a fantastic response from their loyal customers and bring in a host of new ones”.