A planning application was lodged with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in December 2008 by Hugh Lowe Farms of Mereworth for a polytunnel operation that involves a total of 1300 acres of prime agricultural land in Kent. Much of it is in the Metropolitan Green and Belt with some along the Greensand Ridge which is a Special landscape Area. Although fruit growing has always been an integral and important part of the local economy and has created the landscape that we now have, this new initiative rang alarm bells and a group of local residents came together to register their concerns. For some years the area of land under tunnels in the area has been steadily increasing as all the local growers are now adopting the technique. We fear that the landscape could be changed forever as growers are now asking for permanent structures, abandoning traditional rotation techniques and reducing the diversity of crops.