The countryside faces transformation as farmers seek permission to replace their fields with giant, multistorey greenhouses where they can grow crops all year round with no concern for droughts, floods or frosts.

Agricultural companies have announced plans for at least 50 “vertical farms”, with crops in stacked containers. They can produce tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peas and other salad crops throughout the year. Farmers harvest crops weeks after planting instead of tending them for months outside.

One, the Edinburgh-based Shockingly Fresh, plans 40 sites, with five already under development — one in Scotland and four in England — covering a total of 123 acres. The firm says it can grow up to five times the amount of greens as traditional farms.

Another, Jones Food Company near