Waverley Borough Council has deferred making a decision on plans by fruit grower Hall Hunter Partnership to keep polytunnels on some of its fields all year round.

The application seeks permission to keep the tunnels on 20 hectares of land all year on the site at Tuesley.

Further permission is being sought to put the tunnels on a further 40 hectares of land at the site. Those tunnels would be covered with plastic sheeting from April 1st to October 31st, and the hoops would remain in the fields all year round.

Waverley planning officers had initially recommended granting permission for the development, but decided to ask councillors to defer the decision until Natural England had had a chance to comment.

Planning officer Alex Inglis told tonight's (Wednesday) meeting of the council's Eastern planning committee that Natural England had concerns about the effect of the tunnels on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in which the farm sits.

"Officers believe it's in the best interests of all parties to defer this item until the comments have been received and can be put before the committee," he said.

Councillors agreed to discuss the application at a future planning committee meeting.