Steel-frame grain stores for Scottish farms
A grain store has to do a lot more than keep the rain off. It has to hold the weight of grain against its walls, keep the crop dry and cool, take loaders and trailers in and out, and keep birds and vermin out. Forge & Frame delivers complete grain stores for farms across the Lothians, the Scottish Borders, Fife and Perthshire: slab, frame, push walls, cladding, doors and services, on one contract.
Built around your tonnage
We start with what you need to store, not with a standard shed size.
- Tonnage and crops. Wheat, barley, oats, oilseed rape and beans all store differently and weigh different amounts per cubic metre.
- Storage method. On-floor bulk, bays, or a mix of grain and other storage.
- Drying. On-floor drying with ventilated floors or laterals, or a separate dryer feeding the store.
- Loading. Tipping trailers, telehandlers, loading shovels and lorry collections all need door heights, widths and turning space.
- Future use. If you might use part of the building for machinery or straw in future, we plan for it now.
Push walls: the critical bit
Grain pushes outwards. The walls and frame have to be designed to take that load, which depends on the depth of grain against the wall and the type of crop. Push walls are commonly precast concrete panels, steel-framed panels or reinforced concrete. The frame is designed with the grain load included, not added as an afterthought.
That's why a grain store needs an engineer's design for your loads, not a standard kit shed with walls bolted on.
What's included
| Stage | Typical scope |
|---|---|
| Design | Layout, engineer-designed frame and grain-retaining walls for your loads |
| Consents | Prior notification or planning application support; building warrant check |
| Groundworks | Site strip, levels, foundations and floor slab, including any drying floor ducts |
| Frame | Steel portal frame, designed for grain loads and Scottish wind and snow |
| Walls | Grain push walls to the agreed height |
| Envelope | Roof and wall cladding, rooflights, ridge ventilation if specified |
| Openings | Roller shutter or sliding doors sized for your machinery |
| Services | Power, lighting and drying fan supplies as agreed |
The exact scope is set out in writing before you commit. The frame and erection are delivered by our fabrication and erection partner [CONFIRM: name Hepburn Fabrication publicly?].
Planning and warrants
Many new agricultural buildings in Scotland can be built under Class 18 permitted development, after a prior notification to the council. Class 18 has limits, including a 1,000m² ground area (465m² in some designated areas), a 12m height limit and no building within 25m of a trunk or classified road. Larger stores need full planning permission.
Agricultural buildings are exempt from building warrants unless, for example, they're over 280m² or close to a boundary. Many grain stores are bigger than 280m², so expect to need a warrant. Read do farm buildings need a building warrant in Scotland?.
Grants
The Future Farming Investment Scheme does not fund new sheds. Read our farm building grants guide for what is and isn't eligible.
Where we work
Farms in East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, the Scottish Borders, Fife and Perthshire.
Pricing
Every grain store is priced from your tonnage, site and spec. Guide price: [PRICE: Iain to confirm]
Grain store FAQs
What size grain store do I need?
It depends on your tonnage, crop types, how deep you can store against the walls and the space you need for machinery. Send your tonnage and we'll work out the footprint.
Do grain stores need planning permission in Scotland?
Many can go ahead under Class 18 permitted development after prior notification, if they're under 1,000m², under 12m high and not within 25m of a classified road. Larger stores need planning permission.
Do I need a building warrant for a grain store?
Often, yes. Agricultural buildings are exempt only if they meet conditions, including being under 280m². Many grain stores are bigger.
Can you include a drying floor?
Yes. On-floor drying can be designed into the slab, with ducts or laterals and fan positions agreed at design stage.
Can the store be used for machinery too?
Yes, if it's planned for. We can design bays or a split layout.
Is there a grant for a new grain store?
Not through the Future Farming Investment Scheme, which excludes sheds. Check ruralpayments.org for current schemes.
Send your tonnage for a price
Tell us the farm postcode, the tonnage and crops you want to store, and how you load and unload. We'll come back with a budget figure and the next steps.