Staffordshire strawberry farms can keep polytunnels
Two strawberry farms in Staffordshire said to be worth up to £5 million to the British economy will be allowed to keep polytunnels crucial to their business – despite claims they destroy the view for residents.
Two strawberry farms in Staffordshire said to be worth up to £5 million to the British economy will be allowed to keep polytunnels crucial to their business – despite claims they destroy the view for residents.
The offending polythene-sheeted tunnels at Bradley Hall Farm and Littywood Farm, between Penkridge and Stafford, cover a combined area of around 35 football pitches.
But planners at Stafford say the farm's contribution to the rural economy tips the balance in its favour.
The huge development employs 300 pickers in the summer. Soft fruit now accounts for 90 per cent of the annual business turnover as demand from the big supermarkets continues to grow. Between them, the sites produce 1,500 tons of strawberries.
John Heath, speaking for farmer George Busby, said farmers had been forced to diversify. "Diversification on farms has been necessary and extremely lucrative," he said.
The use of polytunnels enables a table-top system of growing which doubles the picking speeds and extends the season from May to November instead of the traditional June-July period.
Neighbours, who lodged objections with Stafford Borough Council, described the 15ft-high tunnels as a visual intrusion and said the roads were not suited to the volume of traffic generated.
There were more complaints about the land at Littywood which is bigger and surrounds a medieval double moated site with a Grade II-listed 14th century manor house at its centre.
The original plans showed the polytunnels extending to the edge of the moat. Residents said this was harmful to the historic setting and spoiled the view. The council has said a buffer zone must be set up.
Planners have also limited the acreage at both farms – to 21 acres at Bradley Hall and 50 acres at Littywood – and said the polythene covering should be removed from October 31 to April 1. They said the the farms' overall contribution to agricultural diversity and the rural economy tipped the balance in their favour.
By Marion Brennan
