A COMPANY is going to unusual heights to show off its green credentials.

Meltham firm ABG plans to create a rooftop covered in plants when it moves into new premises this year.

The firm, which makes specialist materials to tackle soil erosion, line landfill sites, reinforce roads and improve drainage, is set to rent a five-storey landmark building alongside its current premises at Meltham Mills.

The building, owned by property company Towndoor, is being renovated by Aspley-based N&R Contractors after the structure was badly damaged by fire this year.

Workers have now called in a remote-controlled machine to start demolishing the top three floors of the five-storey building, which was constructed in 1928 and for many years was known as C Block when it formed part of the David Brown Tractors site.

The remote-controlled machine, supplied by a Scottish company, has been craned up to the roof, where it will drill through concrete and cut through steelwork to reduce the height of the building.

When completely refurbished, the building will be reduced to a two-storey block providing 20,000sq ft of warehousing and storage space for ABG.

Features of the new-look building will include a truly “green” roof, with a thin layer of soil above the waterproofing to grow low-maintenance plants.

Nigel Dyson, of Towndoor, said: “Concerns about the effects of climate change are increasingly driving building owners to consider the benefits of green roofs.

“The plants look attractive, but it’s not just for the greenery. The green roof of the refurbished block will help to keep the building cool during the summer.”

ABG will also fit a pre-formed water storage layer that will act as a “sustainable” drainage system.

Mr Dyson said: “Rainfall would usually go directly to the drains and into the rivers. But this new system will help reduce floods during storms, when the drains can be overwhelmed.

“As the rain falls the green roof stores the rainwater, releasing it slowly and harmlessly after the storm passes. The storage also helps to irrigate the plants through prolonged dry spells.”

Mr Dyson said the green roof would be one of the first of its kind in the area and would also provide a showcase for ABG and its products.

Mr Dyson said Towndoor had already invested more than £1m at Meltham Mills Industrial Estate.

The former David Brown complex is home to companies together employing more than 1,000 people.

The companies include textile firms Fred Lawton and Camira Fabrics, as well as Meltham Mills Engineering, where Mr Dyson is the co-owner and managing director.