October 13th 2024.
Renee Tyers, a 68-year-old plot holder, described the allotments in Bath as "wonderful." She was among the nearly 70 allotment holders who were devastated by the news that they were being evicted from their plots, which have been a part of the community since 1894.
The gardeners at Combe Down Allotments were informed that the landowner, who is a distant relative of the original owner, had decided to terminate their lease. Despite efforts from Bath and North East Somerset Council to negotiate with the man, who does not reside in Bath, he refused to meet with them. As a result, his legal team sent a notice to the council to vacate the land by November 30th of next year.
Tim Ball, a local councillor, expressed his disappointment in the decision, stating, "This land has been used for allotments since 1894 and continues to be of significant social value for the community." Renee Tyers, who has been growing herbs, artichokes, courgettes, raspberries, strawberries, spring onions, asparagus, leak, and kale on her allotment, shared her love for the space. "I absolutely love it," she said, "it's just such an amazing privilege to have time and space to grow things for your own food."
A campaign to save the allotments was launched, and Renee Tyers expressed her sadness at the possibility of losing the site. "It's a very sad thought that the site might disappear," she said, "because it's been here for 130 years. It's a huge loss." She continued to describe the allotments as a "wonderful site" and mentioned that she lives down the road, making it even more special to her.
Renee also highlighted the social aspect of the allotments, saying that they have been a fantastic way for her to meet people in the community. "I just really hope that we will be able to secure the site for the future," she said. "It's so good for mental health and being outdoors. It's a really important part of my life now."
Another allotment holder added, "It's all a terrible shame – we don't understand why because no one has been able to speak with the landowner." They also emphasized the impact that the site has on the community, saying, "The whole community will be devastated everybody loves the space and the wildlife and the greenery of it. You make friends down there that you wouldn't have met in the village. You have a little community down there that you get to meet because they come from all over the village."
The Bath & North East Somerset Allotments Association has been running a campaign to save the Combe Down Allotments. They explained that the site has been held in leasehold since 1895, and the current owner, who is not a resident of Bath, has given notice to end the lease in 2025. The site was originally procured by the Monkton Combe Parish Council to serve workers in the Bath stone mines, but it became the responsibility of Bath City Council after city boundary changes in 1967.
Cllr Ball stated that the council had explored all options to save the allotments and would continue to do so. "This has included exploring any statutory acquisition powers for the site," he said. "We have also requested meetings with the landowner to understand why he wants the council to vacate the land. Unfortunately, all requests to meet have, to date, been declined through his solicitor."
He also mentioned that the council is in negotiations to purchase the land and is exploring alternative sites. However, he emphasized the need to be realistic and stated, "We will continue to work with the allotment holders, but we have to be realistic. There is no specific timeframe over which the obligation for the provision of an alternative allotment site must be satisfied."
Despite the challenges, there is a glimmer of hope for the allotment holders. A group of residents from the Unincorporated Friends of Combe Down Allotments successfully applied to have the site designated as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). This means that although the owner is free to sell to any buyer of their choice, they must officially notify the council. Once the council receives the notice, there is a six-week interim moratorium period in which community interest groups or other buyers can submit a written request to be considered as potential bidders.
If a request is made, the council must pass it onto the landowner, and a six-month full moratorium period begins. This period is intended to give the group time to assemble a bid and, if successful, complete the purchase. The council spokesperson emphasized that this process could potentially save the allotments, stating, "This period is intended to give a group time to assemble a bid and, if successful, complete the purchase."
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