Intensive agricultural

Much of the agricultural land around my area has been converted to intensive crop growing with the use of polytunnels like this.
 
The idea is that higher temperatures produced by the tunnels warms up the soil and the plants beneath. Equally they also protect crops from strong winds, hailstones and sharp unexpected snaps of cold weather.
 
Together that brings on crops earlier, and means that fruit and vegetables can be grown at times which might be considered early, even out of season.
 
Some take the view that acres of polytunnels are unsightly in a village environment, but my view is that it is a practical use of agricultural land for what it should be used for.  The tunnels are high enough to walk and work in and many are also big enough to allow in sowing and harvesting machines. Although in this part of the country seasonal summer workers from Europe become very much in evidence.
 
Locally it has had an immense affect on growing of strawberries in particular, but other soft fruits like raspberries and blackberries can also be cultivated in the same way.  Not to mention tomatoes and vegetable crops.
 
The spread of polytunnels unsightly? Consider the alternative — agricultural land bought by developers and greater concentration of housing in predominantly rural areas.