I read with interest Robert Hale's report on 'polytunnels' (Ledbury Reporter, November 18).

Dr Meyer and the reported response of the Wicton Action Group highlight one side of a question that is not being properly explored at the moment.

We must have a debate to establish which course of action is best.

Is it is more of an environmental disaster if farmers are forced to limit the use of 'polytunnels' on what appear to be purely aesthetic grounds, when growing their crops of fruit and vegetables for consumption in the UK?

Or is it a greater environmental disaster to use large quantities of petroleum products to move all the produce that we consumers demand by ship, road and/or air, over the long distances from their point of growing?

Chris Ridler, Yeoman Close, Ledbury.