A disused World War II underground bunker once used to protect Londoners from Nazi air raid bombings has been transformed into a 2.5 acre (one hectare) subterranean herb and micro salad growing farm. 

Growing Underground officially launched on Tuesday (June 29) and will soon begin trading with London’s restaurateurs, providing a range of fresh herbs including coriander, parsley, Thai basil, watercress, pea shoots, mustard leaf, red vein sorrel and garlic chive.

All the crops are grown 108 feet (33 meters) below the city streets of Clapham in southwest London.

While commuters and shoppers have been going about their daily routines over the last year, much work has been going on underground to convert the bunker into a greenhouse complex capable of operating in such unusual conditions.

Entrepreneurs Richard Ballard and Steven Dring, alongside celebrity and Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr unveiled the pesticide-free operation to British press earlier this week describing Growing Underground as a ‘carbon neutral farm, right in the middle of London’.

“"Our first shoots will be delivered to the surface in the next few weeks,"” co-founder Ballard told U.K. newspaper the The Telegraph.

"“After 18 months of research, development, growing trials and tribulations, we’re about to start supplying into the market.”"

The farm'’s main objective is to cultivate fresh produce with zero impact on the environment. Even the produce itself will only be sold within a radius of the M25 motorway - a highway encircling the London area - so as to minimize road miles.

Specially designed ventilation and high-tech irrigation systems are being used to grow the crops in a sealed and clean environment which operates using very low energy.

“"I’'m looking forward to creating my first dish using produce from the world'’s first underground urban farm, less than two miles as the crow flies from the heart of London,”" Roux tells The Telegraph.

"“It’s great to be involved in this ambitious project, for which we have equally ambitious growth plans.

“"Above all, it’s fantastic to be able to source produce that is so fresh in the heart of Britain'’s largest city.”"

Photo: Growing Underground

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