Watford Council misled the Secretary of State about the intended use of Farm Terrace Allotments, say lawyers
Legal representatives acting on behalf plot holders at Farm Terrace Allotments, Watford, have officially started the Judicial Review process to contest use of the land for a development by issuing papers at the Royal Courts of Justice.
This is the second challenge the plots holders have made during a battle to save their site that started in the summer of 2011. The second decision taken by the Department for Communities and Local Government in December 2013 granted permission to Watford Council for a second time to close the site and redevelop the allotments, but it has since come to light that the land will be used for car parking for Watford Football Club, as well as housing and a small number of possible hospital buildings.
The allotment tenants will challenge the legal validity of the Secretary of State's decision, on grounds that include the assertion that the Secretary of State was misled about the allotment land being critical to the viability of the development project. Watford Borough Council also failed to update the Secretary of State, it is claimed, about certain key information and changes to the project such as the car park.
The Farm Terrace tenants are not only fighting for their own site but hope that if the legal challenge is successful, other allotment sites under threat from development due to the relaxation of planning laws will also be protected.
Andrew Moore Chairman said “It is a shame that it has had to come to this, but we are convinced that the Court will see through the Council’s PR and recognise that the allotments are being built on to generate profits for the private sector and a car park for footballers, rather than hospital buildings that we now know are unlikely to ever materialise”.
"Farm Terrace Allotment Holders raise over £3,000 since BBC programme on 3 March"
Since the BBC aired the story of the fight by the allotment holders to save their site on 3 March, a further £3,000 has been raised towards their legal fighting fund. The case will now be taken to the High Court in the summer. Donations have come in from all across the country including Leeds, Waltham Forest and East Sussex. The North Watford Allotment Society have pledged £1,000 towards the cause, demonstrating the unity of plot holders across the Borough in fighting the Council's proposals.
The land has been used as allotments since 1896; the plot holders claim that the term 'Health Campus' is a misnomer, and that the development is mostly about building houses and commercial units. Whilst they recognise the need for a new hospital, they claim the allotment site is not needed in order to renovate the hospital, and that the 750 homes now planned for the site is excessive and unnecessary. Watford Borough Council has held a public consultation, but no results or summary of comments (both positive and negative) have been published. The plot holders believe that, once residents understand the full facts about the development plans - including that the flood plain issues have now been resolved meaning that homes can be built in other parts of the site previously deemed impossible - they will support the fight to save the allotments. The Farm Terrace Community Association will hold one of their regular meetings on Monday 24 March at 7.30 pm at St James Church, St James Road, West Watford and have invited members of the public to attend to find out about the fight to save this historic site.
Full details of the legal challenge can be read at the plot holders' website at http://savefarmterrace.wix.com/savefarmterrace
The fight to save Farm Terrace Allotments in Watford was aired on BBC 1’s Inside Out London Programme on 2 March 2014. The BBC took the viewers through the story to save this historic site that has been in existence since 1896. If you would like to see the video, please click the attached link - Farm Terrace on youtube
