A FARMER has applied for planning permission to construct polytunnels covering an area up to 32 hectares south of the county.

Mark Green from St Owens Cross has applied to Herefordshire Council to put up fixed (non-rotated) 'Spanish' polytunnels to grow soft fruit on tabletops at Biddlestone Farm in Llangarron.

The application said the Spanish polytunnels are designed to be essentially temporary structures which can be moved easily from one crop to another.

But with this application the tunnels will remain in place semi-permanently and will not be moved as regularly as tunnels grown over crops in the ground.

Up to 32 hectares of polytunnels would be put up and covered with polythene at any one time.

Grow bags will be placed on so-called ‘table tops’ which comprise a horizontal trough, to make it more convenient and comfortable for pickers.

The application also looks for a change of use of land from agriculture to a site for the accommodation of seasonal agricultural workers, together with toilets/showers, kitchen, staff shop And IT/recreation units.

The applicant wants to put up 120 two-person accommodation pods (accommodating up to 240 workers). The pods would be in a shipping container style.

The intention is that they will be stationed permanently on the site or for the duration of the soft-fruit farming operation.

Comments are being taken on the application until January 30.