POLYTUNNELS planned for a significant part of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were refused on Wednesday.

Herefordshire Council’s planning committee voted against the proposed development in Kings Caple.

The application was resubmitted by Neil Cockburn, of Pennoxstone farm, after Herefordshire Council’s original decision to grant permission was quashed by judicial review at London’s High Court.

David Williams, one of the leading campaigners against the plan, asked before the meeting whether councillors would stand firm to protect a community or go against its own planning department’s recommendations.

Mr Cockburn had said that a rejection of the plans would put him out of business.