WORK is underway to upgrade St James' Farm with the focus on becoming a fully net zero facility.
Following a successful bid to Dublin City Council, the farm was awarded funding to improve their sustainability at the facility.
St James' Farm and their partners Ballymun Community Garden in Dublin were awarded around £60,000 which will be used to install solar panels for both sites and water collection and pumping facilities, as well as a green roof and a bicycle stand for St James' Farm.
Stevie Corr from Falls Community Council who is on the Management Committee said: "We have developed an excellent Dublin-Belfast partnership with the Ballymun Community Garden and exchange visits have already taken place and will continue into the future.
"As partners, we successfully applied to Dublin City Council, Community Climate Action Programme fund.
Damien Lindsay, Stevie Corr and Bap Kelly
"We are delighted that works have at last commenced and we aim for the result to be that we are energy and water self sufficient in the future. We also have a very successful aluminium collection in initiative, which is unrivalled in the city.
"We have an exciting programme of events lined up and with our community partners in Ballymun.
"We want to link the two largest cities on the island in more initiatives moving forward."
Damien Lindsay from St James' Farm added: "We are really excited about the developing Belfast–Dublin initiative and this European funding being administered by Dublin City Council is a crucial step forward for us.
"Our farm is more that a farm. It is a community hub and the work that goes on here can only get better with these latest upgrades.
"The upgrades will make a huge difference to the farm. We have always had a focus on reduce, re-use and recycle here. We already collect rain water and cans from the local community and beyond that get recycled.
"Our new upgrades will only enhance St James' Farm as an eco-friendly place."
