PLANS for a Treuddyn based Community Agriculture Scheme (CSA) have received a boost with the granting of permission for a polytunnel by Flintshire Council.

The applicant, Home Grown Happiness, is a family run no-dig market garden and community green social prescribing project based in the village, with plans to run a vegetable box scheme.

An application had been made for a small polytunnel to grow tender produce and raise seedings for the proposed vegetable box scheme, on land off Queen Street in Treuddyn.

The applicants say the polytunnel will enable more tender varieties of vegetables and fruit to be grown for the CSA scheme, as well as extending the growing season and allowing the vegetable box scheme to run through more months of the year.

Produce will not be sold to the general public from the site.

A design and statement from the applicants submitted with the planning documents said: “The proposal could easily be described as reversible as the polytunnel can be removed and recycled if no longer being used for vegetable and fruit production.

“The assessments of landscape impact undertaken during the preparation of this submission to ascertain potential damaging effects on the setting and views from surrounding residential areas have concluded that the introduction of the   polytunnel will have no adverse effect.”

The statement adds: “The proposed use will be little different in character and scale to the previous operation of the land for agriculture (sheep grazing) and will not result in potential noise or disturbance to residential occupiers. The proposed use is appropriate for this location and will be directly supporting a valuable rural venture which benefits the local economy.

“Our vegetable box scheme has been fully supported by CSA UK and UnLtd. UnLtd have awarded us a start up grant, part of which will be used to purchase the polytunnel outlined in this planning application.

“There are no potential access issues and there is sufficient space within the site to park our car. The access point onto the adjacent highway is of good standard and excellent   visibility.”

The application for the polytunnel was given the green light in a delegated decision made by Flintshire Council’s chief planning officer Andrew Farrow.