The decision to bring in planning regulations for using soft fruit polytunnels in England is unlikely to be rolled out to Scottish farms.

Tunnel use is extensive in Scotland, especially around Tayside, the Lothians and the Borders, although parts of England, such as Worcestershire, Kent and are far more visibly covered.

The uproar surrounding polytunnel usage stemmed from the incident involving polytunnels and temporary worker accommodation at the Hall Hunter Partnership’s Surrey holdings.

However the planning inspector claimed this was not a test case in the decision to bring in a planning permission requirement.

The ruling was that the size and permanent attachment of polytunnels, render them comparable with a building operation and should make them subject to the same rules.

With regards to his decision to refuse planning permission to Hall Hunter, the inspector said: "In the balance that has to be drawn between the needs of this agricultural enterprise and environmental impact arising from the presence of the polytunnels, I am firmly of the view that those agricultural needs will be outweighed by the harm done to the countryside."

However, growers in England do not expect this to impact on all subsequent cases and Scottish farmers are governed by a different set of regulations.

"In Scotland, such polytunnels are considered to be temporary structures and so come under permitted developments," said a spokeswoman for Scottish Executive.

Andrew Arbuckle, a Liberal Democrat MSP with specialist knowledge of fruit growing, said polytunnels had transformed the Scottish soft fruit industry.

And, while he suggests local planning authorities should be notified, he is calling for the introduction of a code of good practice rather than an official order for planning permission.

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