“if you think your valley looks like a lake, some parts of southern Spain look like a sea “.
“Well I'm a landscape painter .I'm supposed to be inspired by the landscape, the richness of the soil the textures, the harmonies…I'm not inspired by POLYTHENE STRAWBERRY TUNNELS…. It’s like; if I was a portrait painter and they stuck plastic bags over the heads of my sitters”.
photo: polytunnels across footpath KC 16. The council were informed in June 11th 2002 two months later a pathway was cleared but they failed to issue directives to remove the polytunnels, Not only have residents to stare across the plastic destruction of the landscape but they are it seems expected to walk beneath it in their enjoyment of the public footpaths in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
“Environmental Eyesore, Spreading like a virus across the countryside. Supposedly an area of outstanding natural beauty sacrificed on the altar of over-production and commercial gain. A sea of white plastic threatening to become an ocean, is this natural or necessary? Is commerce going to override all other considerations, why should the desire to produce strawberries out of season be allowed to create such environmental havoc”.
11th March - "It is with considerable concern and consternation that I witness the erection of yet more plastic polytunnels by Mr Neil Cockburn, over the fields facing my property. I find it difficult to comprehend how in a designated 'area of outstanding natural beauty' this could be allowed to happen.
"Whilst not wishing to deprive Mr Cockburn of his living, it would appear that he has shown precious little regard for his position as a 'steward of the countryside' and contemptuously ignored the feeling of his neighbours in his pursuit of profit."
“Restrictions should be placed on the agricultural sector to inhibit and control the intrusion of these ugly polythene tunnels so that the area may once again be truly classified as an area of outstanding natural beauty”.
“I know what people think a polytunnel is pure visual pollution.. …Plastic slugs littering the fields … an alien presence in the rural landscape…Perhaps local planning officers should conduct a campaign to get rid of them.
A King’s Caple fruit farmer is facing local opposition over his plastic covered “polytunnels” which he uses to farm strawberries.
“We find it deeply depressing now that the whole riverside Area of Outstanding NATURAL Beauty is swathed in shiny artificial white skin. For Herefordshire it is economic suicide. Tourists are appalled by this ugliness along the famous Wye”.
John Kuusisto, Hoarwithy Resident, Formerly, Senior Architect Greater London Council.
*DOES THE AONB HAVE POWERS TO STOP OR CONTROL THIS?
*DO THEY INTEND TO USE THESE POWERS IF NOT, WHY NOT?
In no way can these tunnels be described as objects of beauty; the glaring white colour and sheer scale of development is destroying the countryside.
“We live in a commanding position on the west bank of the River Wye not only an Area of Outstanding Beauty but also an SSSI. With the arrival of polythene tunnels facing us at Kings Caple our environment has been blighted and these tunnels are unlawful.
Remove these from the AONB as indicated in the Chichester appeal decision.
"When I moved into Hoarwithy part of the attraction was obviously the beautiful views that could be seen from all directions …………………have the polytunnels removed to ensure that local Hoarwithy residents do not have to look out at the unsightly poly tunnels for yet another year."
Enforcement and remove from AONB.
"Remove from AONB as indicated in the Chichester appeal decision."
"Grateful that something is being done about this."
"I can understand your personal comments having viewed the valley from your property. I am sure that many will await the outcome of your complaint lodged with the Ombudsman."
"CPRE have long been concerned about the present exclusion of farming developments from the planning process which allow consideration of the wider impact of such developments on the landscape and local community. We contend that the special circumstances which gave rise to the removal of agricultural development from the democratic planning system and gave them special treatment (arguments which applied after the Second World War) no longer apply. Farmers plan their business futures like any other business and should be treated in the same way.
We were hopeful that the recent Rural White Paper would signal a revision of PPG7 which brought farming development into the planning system and allowed issues of landscape to be considered before permitting the development. Sadly this was not the case but we will continue to press for necessary revisions to planning policy. I would therefore be pleased to know if Paul Keetch is supportive of a change of legislation, as we would wish to keep him informed of our campaign on this issue.
The CPRE (South Wye Group) considers that polytunnel plastic farming seriously degrades areas of sensitive landscape notably Areas of Outstanding Beauty and there is a need for planning controls to protect such areas.
The CPRE wishes to ask the district council to examine closely ways to control this within current legislation.
Ballingham, Bolstone and Hentland Group Parish Council, like any other parish council, has a responsibility to respond to issues put to it by the local community. At the 2002 Annual Parish Meeting held in Hoarwithy, councillors were made aware of the concerns of Hoarwithy residents over the impact on the village of the increasing area of polytunnels in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and of their frustration at the apparent unwillingness of Herefordshire Council to take any steps to control the spread of these structures.
ii. the wider impact of these polytunnels on the community as a whole, on the other.
The Parish Council is not attempting to claim for itself the right to make the definitive judgement on this balance, but it does believe that it is a question which should be open to full public discussion, with an input from all those who are affected by the spread of polytunnels.
c. In most instances, the forum for debate about commercial developments and change of land use is the Planning Process, and the Parish Council has previously urged this method upon both Herefordshire Council and Paul Keetch MP. The reply has been that polytunnels are not subject to control because they are temporary structures (“temporary” not in its everyday sense of “in place for a limited time” but in the technical sense of “not requiring a hard-standing foundation”). If this is the case, it means that it will be quite legal for polytunnels to be erected over any extent of countryside, to surround any housing area, or to destroy any beauty spot.
d. The Parish Council emphasizes that it is not against commercial development, or indeed even against polytunnels in themselves; it recognises that there may be a case to be made for them in some locations. However, it believes that their unrestricted spread, without any consultation of all those who are affected by them, is an injustice to the local community. It also recognizes that the importance of preserving the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty may involve additional considerations. Any businessman who intends to introduce polytunnels to his land should have his wishes balanced against those of the community, and the case for both sides should be open to public scrutiny and debate, as with any other development.
e. Ballingham, Bolstone and Hentland Parish Council believes that the Planning Process is the best forum in which this discussion should take place.
Adopted unanimously by Ballingham, Bolstone and Hentland Parish Council at its meeting on 18 June 2002.
The third largest polytunnel / business in the UK and allowed by Herefordshire planning to destroy one of England’s Finest Landscape, the famous Wye Valley.
KINGS CAPLE opposite the village of HOARWITHY once proudly featured on the cover of Hereford Planning Booklet, the picturesque “Gem” of riverside hamlets. Now a white wasteland of billowing plastic in the heart of the Wye Valley AONB, alongside the main geographical feature in Herefordshire the river itself, in open valley and amidst historical buildings, the most sensitive location in an area of great landscape value, site of special scientific interest.
Ian Slater, former Head of Planning to Paul Keetch M.P. 6th Dec 2000.
Classed, as “temporary structures”, will not look at visual impact on the landscape.
Hereford planning has failed to implement that decision, worse they have concealed these facts.
The latest argument turns away from the tunnels themselves and seizes upon the fact that the strawberries at Chichester were grown in hay whilst in Herefordshire they are grown in the soil This shameful attempt to divert focus was confirmed with Julie Preston 31st May 2002.
Other “clever “ points are about duration of cycle that attempts to dismiss the reality that these are a permanent ever-present blight.
No doubt other equally spurious argument will be given. Barrister opinion is being sought but the Chichester decision is crystal clear, such polytunnels should never have been allowed in the AONB, so by past and present record Queens Council will be asked to protect Hereford planning and their negligence rather than its landscape and people.
This position follows six months of continuous flow of detailed record, visual documentation, aerial photographs, legal argument and the full knowledge that this viewpoint is not accepted byother planning authorities there are numerous examples i.e. Worchester considers polytunnels are agricultural buildings requiring planning consents.
Being “caught” the planning dept might have swiftly moved to correct this injustice, but no.
In desperation large numbers of residents through out Herefordshire have now made complaint to the Ombudsman against the council for maladministration and injustice.
Hereford planning is being perverse in their interpretation of the Chichester decision in their wish to wriggle out of its implementation. No doubt business interests are thwarting justice.
These childish games and determination not to “see” will plunge the council into Judicial Review. Hereford will have to contest both the Chichester decision and legal argument of Case Law” Skerrits of Nottingham Ltd v. Secretary of State for the Environment” March 22 2000 This case overturns previous notions of what constitutes a building.
Clearly many farmers need to diversify if they are to make a living but this is not farming in any previous convention of the word this is third world factory enterprise in the midst of the most glorious English landscape. Surely here there is need to encourage “green” farming that employs local agricultural workers .All recent government directives point to the need to protect landscape.
These businessmen with their plastic work sheds are not in a temporary business.
“2000 acres of tunnels constructed in the last five years” says John Berry, Haygrove Tunnels, and Herefordshire. This method is in its infancy, trials and research are set to expand production to larger tunnels in a variety of coloured plastics, it is imperative to have controls as would be required in all other planning issues, so as to protect individual democratic rights and sensitive landscape throughout Herefordshire. MARDEN once nominated as best-kept village and enjoyed the open landscape now swamped in plastic, a vast overseas workforce working day & night, creating enormous social problems and injustice.
Covering the finest landscape within the AONB with plastic is plain crazy. Surely there are opinions in the council that deplore this visually blind policy of Hereford planning department? Other councils’ planning departments do not agree, expressing disbelief with this viewpoint.
If you wish this issue to be open for public enquiry or have any contribution you can make to bring this to a speedy conclusion then the large numbers of people contesting this issue would be grateful if you would make your views known.
It is the view of the planning department that a woodshed of “Wendy house” proportion larger than 10 cubic metres is considered potentially detrimental to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
On the 15th April 2002 Mr ........ received a letter from Terry Jones, a response to a complaint against the polytunnels decimating Hoarwithy village.The council cannot decide whether or not polytunnels require planning consents.
ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED & EIGHTY NINE TIMES larger than the 10 cubic metres considered harmful to the Area of Outstanding Beauty.
I would be pleased if you could enlighten me, what is the planning departments thinking on this issue?
over the use of polytunnels.
The council held an Environment Programme Meeting 2nd September 2002 for supposedly open ended discussion, a proposal, a way forward, had been made to which we were adamantly opposed. Surprise then when we discovered in the press that the council would now go forward with this proposal. It was a meeting dominated by two long introductory talks by the two millionaires selling their products whilst the opposition as we are called failed to keep Douglas Gardiner on the floor for three minutes before he was silenced by the councils lawyers.
The reason he was “silenced” was that he was about to say that we have been banging on the door of this council for four years. The planning department had repeatedly said they had no powers to control these polytunnels. Subsequently however we discovered that they had concealed legal ruling on this very issue since 15th June 1999.
Now of course we have in the Wye Valley AONB two monstrous polytunnel sites as well as the abuse at Marden and ever increasing explosions throughout Herefordshire. The sheer scale of these buildings is having disastrous effects upon the landscape and village communities. Despite what the agenda for the Environment Programme reports seventy people have made complaint to the Ombudsman on grounds of "maladministration" and "injustice”. This is but the tip of a surfacing iceberg.
Voluntary control, on an issue of this magnitude is a fairy story. A proposal no doubt to divert focus from the urgent need to enforce planning regulation and a theatre acted out to appease the Ombudsman .The Ombudsman can only consider primarily matters of procedure rather than the rights and wrongs of a decision. There is a failure to address existence of the Brinkman ruling. Herefordshire is set to continue to allow these millionaire businesses men under the sympathy vote of “poor farmers” to dictate terms, seize control, destroy our best landscape and pervert democratic rights.
The proposal of voluntary control is further insult to the long-suffering majority that daily witness year upon year the abuse thrust upon them and the environment.
Time and time again the justification for tearing up the most beautiful landscape in the AONB as was indeed reiterated by Polly Andrews Head of council is that Herefordshire is a farming community and we must support the farmers. So what is Worchester doing with its landscape and all the other rural counties throughout Britain who have planning controls? Perhaps they are listening to the majority and diversity of people in their county and acting responsibly to reflect their concerns and adhering to legal precedent.
To consider the wider political outlines of the government’s papers, and address the need to truly protect landscape and for changes in farming practice.
To uphold a duty and responsibility to protect our finest landscape.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty share equal status with National Parks in terms of scenic beauty and landscape protection.
The Environment Programme Agenda for the 2nd September meeting states, “Advice from Counsel indicates that each case must be considered on its merits in certain circumstances the erection of polytunnels could constitute development requiring planning permission” .So even the advice from Herefords appointed counsel has to concede that polytunnels do require planning consent. The Way forward which is” just” as opposed to A way forward,” voluntary code” is to identify those polytunnels to which counsel is referring and issue enforcement.
This decision remains the highest legal authority on this issue, this ruling is underpinned by Skerrits case law, which overturns all previous interpretation of what, constitutes a temporary structure. We have two irreconcilable interests those of business/profit versus those of protecting the landscape and the democratic rights of people. Were conflict occurs as in all other walks of life the law has to intervene. In this case the law is the Brinkman ruling, which asserts polytunnels require planning consents, and should not be allowed in an AONB.
Polytunnels are clearly a permanent and expanding blight all year round year upon year, a fact to which large numbers will emphatically testify.
People should have the right to object as they would in any other planning issue. The numbers of communities and individuals being effected is ever increasing .We are currently at the mercy indeed victims of these growers. There is a long history of abuse a voluntary code will not stop this, indeed if these growers are now allowed to continue and survive this current spotlight matters will become worse. We should not be forced to resort to the courts to resolve this issue.
To act in accord with other councils and require planning consent for polytunnels.
A plastic shroud creeps across this once gentle landscape in the heart of Wye Valley AONB linking the two historic sites of Kings Caple and Hoarwithy Churches.
Once of breathtaking beauty now breath taking in the sheer audacity of this grower Mr.Cockburn with yet more fields beyond now being prepared for expansion. What is the madness that brings Herefordshire Council to insist on planning consents for a "wendy" house least it should be detrimental to the AONB whilst harmful to the Area of Outstanding Beauty. resisting implementing controls over this nightmare, a council that now proposes a "voluntary code of practice will see it right, is breathtaking in its stupidity.
Thank you on behalf of the CPC.