The use of polytunnels – long plastic tunnels – by the British soft fruits farming industry is under the microscope at a court hearing.
The operator of a farm near Godalming, in Surrey, wants the High Court to overturn a ruling that the tunnels need planning permission.
The Hall Hunter Partnership’s lawyer said they were “an agricultural use of land” – and exempt from planning rules.
Opponents believe the polytunnels are “a blight on the landscape”.
Hall Hunter bought the 469-acre Tuesley Farm in 2003 and has grown strawberries, raspberries and blackberries there.
The tunnels extend the growing season and the soft fruits farming industry argues that production would be harmed if planning laws restricted their use.
A campaign group set up by more than 80 families living near Tuesley Farm have condemned the polytunnels as being part of “an enormous industrial farming operation” on green belt land.
There’s a ranch down the road from me that I don’t like being there. Maybe I can get it shut down because the cows are really ugly?
#2, you really don’t like the out doors at all? I mean I can see hating the conservative peckers who sometimes live out there, but don’t blame the landscape. The idea of having no more deserts, mountains and forests to hike around or camp in is sad and scary. Cities are nasty dirty places that have the overwhelming smell of car exhaust and fried food all the time. Now don’t get me wrong, cities have many useful things in them, but so does the out doors! Just try it some time, it’s nicer then you think.