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An urban oasis: The garden Anna Michaels has nurtured for the last 13 years |
Tenant fights to keep garden she has tended for 13 years
New owner of neighbouring shop tells bank worker: ‘It’s our land now’
THE ink was hardly dry on one of Islington’s biggest property deals when three strangers appeared to measure up Anna Michaels’ beloved garden.
Developer Structadene says the land belongs to one of 111 properties bought from Islington Council in a deal worth £69 million. It has threatened the grandmother with court action if she continues to “encroach” on the garden she has lovingly tended for 13 years.
A stern letter from the firm’s lawyers warns that legal proceedings will be taken without further warning if Ms Michaels continues to use the garden.
As part of a deal with Islington Council, Structadene valued 223 council-owned buildings, giving the tenants – mainly small businesses – the chance to buy their premises. The remainder were snapped up by Structadene.
Ms Michaels, a 62-year-old bank worker, has spent thousands of pounds on the garden since she moved into her home in St John Street, Clerkenwell.
But Structadene says the land belongs to the vacant shop next door which it has just acquired, and not to the council, which rents the house to Ms Michaels.
She said: “I looked out and saw three men in my garden. I said: ‘Excuse me, what are you doing?’ and they said it wasn’t my garden, it was theirs.
“They just came here without so much as a by-your-leave. Then I had a letter delivered the following morning by hand from Structadene’s solicitors saying I was encroaching on their land.
“The letter said I must leave within a couple of days because they are going to put up fences to stop me getting access.”
Ms Michaels has turned the garden into an urban oasis of hanging vines, shrubs and flowers. She fears it will be destroyed if Structadene fences it off.
She claims the council signed the rights to the garden to her under her tenancy contract.
Town Hall officials say they are unable to find the relevant paperwork in their archives.
Labour councillor
Martin Klute, who is taking up Ms Michaels’ case, said: It’s appalling that people can be treated like this.”
Meanwhile, Structadene maintains drawings from the planning registry show the land is now theirs.
Daniel Parnes, a Structadene director, has promised to investigate the problem.
He said: “It’s either our garden or her garden or the council’s. We bought lots of these properties and, according to our lawyer, the garden was included in the St John Street property.
“Now we are aware of the lady’s concerns, we will look into her case.” |
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