ONE of the biggest fruit farms in Herefordshire has submitted plans to build 69 homes for its agricultural staff who currently live in caravans and hostels.

Fruit growers S&A Produce employs up to 1,000 full and part-time seasonal staff in the county between its main operating site at Brook Farm, Marden, and satellite growing site at Brierley Court Farm, Brierley, near Leominster.

Around 4,000 tonnes of strawberries a year are grown across the two sites.

Currently there are 185 caravans at the Marden site which can house up to 740 agricultural workers, with 110 others living in hostel accommodation.

If approved the proposals would see 69 multi occupancy two and two-and-a-half storey houses built which could accommodate 856 agricultural workers.

Each of the houses would home between eight and 14 agricultural workers.

This would be built alongside 75 two, three and four bedroom houses which would be placed on the open market and include affordable and starter homes.

S&A state that the money generated from the open market housing build is an essential component in the funding of the development of seasonal worker accommodation.

New office accommodation is also part of the plan to replace the current ‘portakabin-based’ office facilities.

A redevelopment of the existing Public House, “The Volunteer Inn”, which has been closed for some time also forms part of the submitted plans.

Planners hope the new pub will provide a 'vibrant new meeting place for villagers, with good food and facilities, and will also provide high quality overnight accommodation for both business and leisure visitors'.

Finance Director Trevor Gregory, said: “S&A has developed into a strong business and continues to grow at a fast pace.

"This can only be sustained if we can attract employees, both seasonal and permanent, in the right number and of the best quality. We are confident that the development proposals set out in these applications will deliver attractive and highly sustainable facilities of which both S&A and the village of Marden will be proud.”