With demand for British grown apples and pears increasing, fruit farmer AC Goatham and Son has started work on a £9 million expansion of its cold stores in Hoo.

The initial clearing of redundant old orchards from the farm, which have now come to the end of their 25-year life, began this week.

These will be replaced with new orchards featuring more trees planted per hectare and trained to grow taller using a frame system.

The work will nearly double the capacity for fruit cold storage and packing at the farm, to keep up with the increasing demand for British grown apples and pears.

This season the company has produced more than 150 million apples and 50 million pears.

Partner Ross Goatham said he is delighted work has started.

He said: “To successfully compete with overseas growers, the UK fruit industry has had to change significantly in recent years.

"Essentially we need to grow more fruit per hectare, which is of a consistent quality and which can be successfully stored for longer to increase the length of the season in the supermarkets.”

The expansion will double the capacity for fruit cold storage and packing at Flanders Farm, Ratcliffe Highway, and the new buildings should be ready for the 2016 growing season.

Cold storage technology extends the season for British fruits in supermarkets, reducing the need for imported fruit.