Councils to work together on Polytunnel plans

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Apr 2009

Kent County Council agreed today (30 April) to Trudy Dean's request to work with all District Councils in Kent to produce planning guidance on the use of polytunnels in the countryside. However KCC has not confirmed that it will submit any comment to the 1,500 acre polytunnel application stretching across Kent countryside between Kings Hill, Mereworth and West Peckham. Up to one third of the area may be under permanent polytunnels where crops such as strawberries are placed in grow bags on tables.

The announcement was made in response to a question from Trudy at today's meeting of the County Council at Maidstone. Trudy said after the meeting

I am pleased the discussions between all 13 authorities will go ahead rather than each authority developing its own polytunnel policy. It is essential that any new guidelines places greatest importance in the quality of life of residents, and the attractiveness of the countryside for tourism and recreation rather than the ability to place essentially industrial activity in the countryside , when does not even use Kent soil for growing.

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Trudy's question and answer received