Greenhouses and Polytunnels: Returned to agriculture in last 20 years, process and financial assistance?

WQ.80/2022

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY M.R. LE HEGARAT OF ST. HELIER

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 28th FEBRUARY 2022 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 7th MARCH 2022

Question

In relation to greenhouses and polytunnels, will the Minister advise –

1. how many have been returned to agriculture in the last 20 years;
2. whether the process for their removal is determined by any Government policy or procedure and, if so, what the process is;
3. whether any Government policy or procedure determines whether the land, after removal, is deemed suitable for all types of agriculture; and
4. whether there is, or has been, any financial assistance available from the Government for the purpose of removing greenhouses or polytunnels?

Answer

Glasshouses and polytunnels are considered to be temporary structures associated with the agricultural use of land. The policy structure within successive Rural Economy Strategies and Island Plans has been aimed at; first, securing their use within agriculture; or second, seeking an alternative agricultural (or rural) use; or third, their removal and the land returned to other agricultural uses.

1. No comprehensive data is held relating to the number of glasshouse or polytunnel structures that may have been removed in the last 20 years.
2. Some glasshouses and polytunnels secured planning permission that was conditional upon their removal when they fall out of use. Compliance with this aspect of permission, however, remains poor.
3. see (a).

Some land, where it has been the subject of sale or lease post-1974, will be required to remain in agricultural use under the auspices of the Agricultural Land (Control of Sales and Leases) (Jersey) Law;

4. There is no current or historic financial assistance scheme available from Government for the purposes of removing glasshouses or polytunnels.