London council to sell allotments

The council said their hands were tied

Hundreds of gardeners stand to lose their patch of green as a London council has drawn up plans to sell allotments in the borough.

Redbridge council in north-east London will be deciding on the sale of four allotments to raise £25m.

The council said many plots were unused and they were left with no other option to raise the much needed funds.

It promised new plots to owners but the owners are not happy with the offer and insist the plots are "thriving".

'Turfed off'

Paul Dye, the chairman of an allotment society in Ilford, east London, said: "I could be sympathetic with the council if it were the case that this was a derelict site and not being used, but it isn't.

"It's a thriving site. There are something over a 100 people on it," he said.

Oscar Marvel, 72, who grows potatoes on his plot, echoes the sentiment: "How would you feel if you was turfed off a part of your life. Because I'm a retired man and this is my pleasure."

Another gardener, Sue Cunningham, said: "I was on a waiting list to get this plot and now we hear that they are trying to sell it and this site is really so good."

Ronnie Barden, from Redbridge council, said: "We have nowhere else to go.

"Government has put us in a straight jacket and I think the intention is to get us to sell the allotments because they know that's the only thing we can do."

If the council's plans get the government approval then the allotments could be sold in two years.