The Growpod allows people to grow fruit and vegetables in their own homes with no need for soil or electricity.

Developed by Conor Gallagher, 30, a Glasgow School of Art-trained architect from Belfast now living in London, the design is claimed to employ 90% less water than traditional hydroponics and there is no requirement for artificial lighting.

He said: “By making it as easy as possible for every consumer to grow for themselves we can create a behaviour change which has the potential to save the planet.

“After I moved to London from Glasgow, I saw how people wanted to eat healthily and ethically, but it wasn’t affordable to do so. Most people I knew had no garden and hardly any indoor space. By using hydroponics, the technology of vertical farms, there’s no need for soil which makes the plant far more space-efficient.

“By growing even a small bunch of salad herbs at home, every household can have a direct relationship with the food they eat and where it comes from.”

Mr Gallagher is also the founder of AllotMe, a digital platform pairing city residents with available land and gardens in their area for cultivation.