by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Owners of the county showground are launching an appeal for £6 million for a revamped events centre to highlight the "breadbasket of London."

Kent County Agricultural Society has won planning permission to overhaul the Kent Pavilion and create a new rural complex to showcase agriculture with a focus on education, business and alternative energy.

Speaking at the Kent Show, KCAS chairman George Jessel said: "The current Kent Pavilion, which is an ex-hospital from the Gulf War, is coming to the end of its life." The revamped centre would be "iconic, rural and green."

Coinciding with the unveiling of a campaign to give rural business the financial and business muscle of a typical Plc, Mr Jessel said the tide of opinion was turning in favour of agriculture.

"I want to showcase this sector. Agriculture has been kept under a blanket. Everybody stamps on agriculture but underneath, there is a thriving, enterprising group of people. We are the breadbasket of London and the Garden of England."

The new complex will encourage younger generations to consider farming and horticulture as a career, hosting the Living Land campaign to spread the word to thousands of schoolchildren.

But with £1 million of the society's coffers already spent on the Clive Emson Conference Centre, the society faces a tough challenge raising the cash.

Mr Jessel said he would be approaching individuals, trusts. sponsors and others with a proposal to create a pioneering complex in partnership with Hadlow College.

"I want Detling to become Kent's premier event centre. I'm determined that this society and this showground will be here for many years to come."