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Auction sparks fears for future of wildlife haven
Concern that developer is poised to snap up community garden
A COMMUNITY garden that once provided fresh vegetables to homes in West Hampstead is under threat after its owners decided to sell the land.
The Green Triangle Community Garden, tucked behind Goldhurst Terrace, Greencroft Gardens and Fairhazel Gardens, is due to be sold at auction today (Thursday) with a reserve price of under £100,000.
Maintained by volunteers, the garden is a haven for wildlife and makes up one of five green spaces in the area. The gardeners fear it will now be sold to a developer which will block their access to the site.
After the war, the land was handed over to Camden Council on a 50-year lease and turned into allotments.
Louise Wheatley, a founder member of the Triangle community garden, said: “When the allotments lease ran out, it was used for years for fly-tipping and dumping of rubbish by builders. We got volunteers to clear it by hand, and we filled 12 skips of rubbish.
“It is a lovely space, and very unusual. It has also created a sense of community.”
The garden has had areas left wild while there are still signs of its previous life as allotments – asparagus runs wild in the spring and the summer brings gooseberry, blackberry and blackcurrant crops.
Ms Wheatley said she had seen the land change hands four times since 1997 – and there were always fears that a new owner would come up with a scheme that would limit access to the patch.
The current owners offered the land to the gardeners, but at a cost that was impossible for them to meet. Ms Wheatley added: “They wanted an unfeasibly high asking price, much more than the figure it is up for auction for. But we have only had two weeks notice of the sale and we’ve had no chance to raise that sort of money ourselves, or run an appeal for funds.” |
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