Soft fruit grower John Busby of Derrington near Stafford has been accused by locals of building polytunnels without permission.
According to local newspaper, the Express & Star, ‘a leaflet has been delivered to Derrington residents saying the action is “making a mockery of the planning system and democracy.”
The leaflet added: “The permanent polyhouses are hurriedly being erected by Mr Busby immediately adjacent to The Greenway – part of the National Cycle Network and one of Stafford’s few precious tourist attractions. If completed, they will be seven metres tall and will cover over nine acres.
“The field is now a building site rather than farmland/countryside. The banks and verges along the access route, the tiny Crossing Lane, are already deteriorating due to the huge vehicles accessing the site.
“This development has not got planning permission. Mr Busby has been advised to stop work by the council’s Enforcement Officer but he is choosing to ignore planning regulations and due process.”
Mr Busby said that he had initially applied for planning permission Stafford Borough Council in April 2020 and had expected it to be dealt with by the time work was due to begin, although there have been a number of amendments to the original proposals. Photographs on the newspaper’s website show some site clearance and the erection of steelwork.
According to the paper, the Borough Council has received 70 objections to the plans. Mr Busby, who is deputy chairman of Seighford Parish Council, said, “All the rain water will be collected from the roof and held in a collecting reservoir and then be used to irrigate the crop being grown.
“Using current data from the industry, we will only collect 90 per cent of our requirements this way, meaning we will have to transfer water from our current site to enable us to irrigate the crop. The rain water will be held in a collecting pool and any excess will then go in to the main newly constructed reservoir.” He denies any laws have been broken.