A new 60,000 sq ft medical cannabis facility is being built in Sittingbourne.

GW Pharmaceuticals already boasts the largest cannabis medicine centre in Kent, but now investing £75 million into the facility at Kent Science Park and creating 100 "highly skilled" jobs.

Construction on the new "state of the art" facility started today and the site is expected to open in 2024.

The company says it will take into consideration its environmental impact and it plans to install animal refuge boxes around the site to promote wildlife in the area, minimise its use of single used plastic and install more than 1,100 solar panels.

Once opened the facility is designed to support the company's two regulatory approved cannabis-based medicines, as well as supporting any future development of medicines.

GW Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of Jazz Pharmaceuticals which has 12 sites around the UK and employs 400 people.

Executive vice-president Chris Tovey said: "The UK has been our home for over two decades. This strategic investment underlines Jazz's continued commitment to the UK and will help us bring potentially life-changing medicines to more patients who desperately need them in the UK and around the world.

"We are thrilled to have commenced construction of this state-of-the-art facility in Kent, which will create more than 100 permanent, highly skilled jobs. This facility, which is expected to open in 2024, will not only significantly increase our ability to support the growing demand for our medicines, but help us maintain our position as a world leader in cannabinoid science."

While minister for science, research and innovation MP George Freeman added: "This £75m investment by Jazz Pharmaceuticals in a state of the art pharmaceutical manufacturing facility is a big sign of confidence in the UK life science ecosystem. Not only will this investment support the creation of over 100 additional highly skilled jobs in the region, it is a sign of UK expertise in cannabinoid science and medicines serving the UK and beyond."

Over the past two decades, GW has made significant investment in the KSP site, building major in-house processing and manufacturing expertise to meet the growing demand for its medicines.

The beginning of construction at the site was marked by an event attended by the company's chief executive Bruce Cozadd, Chris Tovey, and representatives from the department for business, energy and industrial strategy.

The company was named as one of the winners of the Queen’s Award for enterprise in May last year.

Clarification: An earlier version of this article referred to the facility as a 'cannabis plant facility' and referred to another site as a 'cannabis farm'. GW Pharmaceuticals has pointed out that no crops are grown at either site. We are happy to clarify this point.