Developers plan eviction of Lewes Road Community Garden (From The Argus)
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Developers plan eviction of Lewes Road Community Garden
10:53am Wednesday 9th June 2010 in News
Friends and supporters of Lewes Road Community Garden held an all-day party yesterday as developers for Tesco prepared to deliver an application for possession of the site.
Garden facilitator Ron Evans said that once an application for vacant possession has been lodged it will start a legal process which will create a framework for opponents of the developer’s plans to put forward their own arguments. Evans now lives on the site permanently. He said: “This garden is my life and I will use every legal means possible to keep it alive.”
The developers have announced plans for flats, a betting shop and a Tesco Express outlet on the formerly derelict land. In May last year local residents began work changing the site into a place for meeting neigbours, reflection and relaxation and growing food.
Local resident and garden supporter Ruth Herbert said: “We are providing a much needed space for everyone in the area – including local schools – to use. We want schoolchildren to come down and grow their own food. Today’s party shows how well supported the garden is.”
Supporters of the garden are working on their own plans to buy the site.
A day of Cuban and other music will be held at the garden on Sunday July 4, organised by Gemma Williams, Ruth Herbert and Blondie tribute performer Chalisa Greogory.
Comments(38)
PaulOckenden
says...
11:28am Wed 9 Jun 10
Yes - let's teach them the perils of eating food which has been grown on a site laden with nasty toxins. It'll be a valuable life lesson.
This 'garden' really saddens me. The owners of the land were quite accommodating, saying that the gardeners could use it for a while, as long as they moved out once the development was due to start. That struck me as a good compromise - they could have just thrown the gardeners out from day one, but instead they tried to work WITH the community. It was a generous gesture.
And what has that community done, now that it's time to move on? Reneged on their original agreement. It's not just two faced, it's also incredibly stupid and short sighted.
I'm sure land owners will think twice next time, before consenting to projects like this eco garden. The gardeners, in being so unreasonable, will have shot themselves in the foot.
I don't know why they are acting like this - perhaps those nasty petro-chemical toxins have got to them, too.
mark by the sea
says...
11:29am Wed 9 Jun 10
caeos wrote:exactly these people dont own the land, pay rent or have any legal right to make stupid statements.. if tesco want to biuld some flats and a store that will produce jobs then great.. after all this land was concrete petrol station ! and not a park or open land.
""Evans now lives on the site permanently.""" so isnt that against the law?
cheezburger
says...
12:09pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Rostrum
says...
12:10pm Wed 9 Jun 10
cheezburger
says...
12:28pm Wed 9 Jun 10
bob_from_brighton
says...
12:32pm Wed 9 Jun 10
But I completely agree with all the negative comments added so far..
cheezburger
says...
12:50pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Rostrum
says...
1:09pm Wed 9 Jun 10
bob_from_brighton wrote:How many 'green spaces' do you want.. There's The Level as the South end of Lewes Road and Saunders Park at North. no more that 10 minutes walk apart...
I feel very differing emotions regarding this. Clearly Lewis Rd has more than enough shops, and not enough green spaces. But I completely agree with all the negative comments added so far..
Murgatroyd
says...
2:09pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Rostrum wrote:How many supermarkets do YOU want? There's Sainsbury's at the gyratory, the Co-op next door to the site, Spar over the road, the Turkish supermarket 2 minutes walk away. And betting shops? we really need more betting shops don't we? They reaaallly raise the tone of an area.
bob_from_brighton wrote:How many 'green spaces' do you want.. There's The Level as the South end of Lewes Road and Saunders Park at North. no more that 10 minutes walk apart...
I feel very differing emotions regarding this. Clearly Lewis Rd has more than enough shops, and not enough green spaces. But I completely agree with all the negative comments added so far..
You lot really make me laugh - all this frothing at the mouth about a bunch of people who, motivated by something other than profit, have created something good. Why don't you buy a nice bottle of wine, get down there tonight, chill out and talk to some of the people involved. And if, after all that, you still think Tescos is a better idea, then at least you're talking from a position other than complete ignorance
PaulOckenden
says...
2:23pm Wed 9 Jun 10
StrangerPassingBy
says...
2:25pm Wed 9 Jun 10
people worked hard on the place, what the hell do you want another supermarket for,
soil for children to grow things in is non toxic as it is in raised beds and soil donated by well wishers.
How about sticking the garden caretakers on the council wages list, could be paid for by sacking a few over paid execs who just take backhanders off developers,
You Daily Mail cliches are behind the times with your unimaginative resonses, New Govt announced today they going to cut back on building on gardens in brownfield sites squatted or otherwise...
get with the programme of your own Tory Governent u idiots
Andy R
says...
2:35pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Paul Ockenden does not appear to know what he's talking about. His unsubstantiated claims about poisoned soil have been trashed and as far as I can see the garden folk haven't "gone back" on anything. There's a legal process to be followed.
PaulOckenden
says...
2:48pm Wed 9 Jun 10
As for the agreement, I'm sure the search function on this very website will find the story about Keith Taylor securing an agreement between the land owners and the guerilla gardeners, allowing them to stay on the site but only until it was required for development. It was quite well publicised at the time.
Tesco fanboy? Hardly! But I am a fan of local employment and housing. And of sticking to agreements.
Murgatroyd
says...
2:49pm Wed 9 Jun 10
PaulOckenden wrote:It is all about whether we need another Tesco! That is precisely the issue in the minds of the community gardeners. Had the development been for housing or even shop units which might be let to independent traders then there would not be so much objection. And as for the occupiers breaching the terms of the agreement - well boo hoo. If it helps to make a clear point that community should come before the financial interests of a few fat-cats then more power to them. They're not hurting anybody and they're doing a lot of good. Do you honestly think that the big corporations involved are above bending a few rules themselves?
@Murgatroyd, it's not about whether we need a new betting shop or not (although the shops and the construction will provide much needed local employment - at least for those people that want to work). But it's about the site owner allowing a community project for a limited time period, and then that community going back on their original agreement to vacate at the appropriate time.
In sincerely hope that the people who have given so much to creating the garden win their battle.
mark by the sea
says...
2:53pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Andy R wrote:you clearly know nothing about garage sites either.. even to build on this tesco will have to remove about 2.5 metres of soil or lower once soil has been examined, and tested.. i for one would not eat anything from a site thats had chemical toxins .
Yes...I never knew Tesco fanboys existed..... Paul Ockenden does not appear to know what he's talking about. His unsubstantiated claims about poisoned soil have been trashed and as far as I can see the garden folk haven't "gone back" on anything. There's a legal process to be followed.
PeteBrighton
says...
3:34pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Rostrum
says...
3:42pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Murgatroyd wrote:So are you saying that if it were ANY OTHER kind of retailer you'd be happy?
Rostrum wrote:How many supermarkets do YOU want? There's Sainsbury's at the gyratory, the Co-op next door to the site, Spar over the road, the Turkish supermarket 2 minutes walk away. And betting shops? we really need more betting shops don't we? They reaaallly raise the tone of an area. You lot really make me laugh - all this frothing at the mouth about a bunch of people who, motivated by something other than profit, have created something good. Why don't you buy a nice bottle of wine, get down there tonight, chill out and talk to some of the people involved. And if, after all that, you still think Tescos is a better idea, then at least you're talking from a position other than complete ignorancebob_from_brighton wrote: I feel very differing emotions regarding this. Clearly Lewis Rd has more than enough shops, and not enough green spaces. But I completely agree with all the negative comments added so far..How many 'green spaces' do you want.. There's The Level as the South end of Lewes Road and Saunders Park at North. no more that 10 minutes walk apart...
Oh ... And I would NOT go to a 'community garden' or park with a bottle of booze ...
Rostrum
says...
3:42pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Murgatroyd wrote:So are you saying that if it were ANY OTHER kind of retailer you'd be happy?
Rostrum wrote:How many supermarkets do YOU want? There's Sainsbury's at the gyratory, the Co-op next door to the site, Spar over the road, the Turkish supermarket 2 minutes walk away. And betting shops? we really need more betting shops don't we? They reaaallly raise the tone of an area. You lot really make me laugh - all this frothing at the mouth about a bunch of people who, motivated by something other than profit, have created something good. Why don't you buy a nice bottle of wine, get down there tonight, chill out and talk to some of the people involved. And if, after all that, you still think Tescos is a better idea, then at least you're talking from a position other than complete ignorancebob_from_brighton wrote: I feel very differing emotions regarding this. Clearly Lewis Rd has more than enough shops, and not enough green spaces. But I completely agree with all the negative comments added so far..How many 'green spaces' do you want.. There's The Level as the South end of Lewes Road and Saunders Park at North. no more that 10 minutes walk apart...
Oh ... And I would NOT go to a 'community garden' or park with a bottle of booze ...
albion seagull
says...
4:13pm Wed 9 Jun 10
All they do is cause trouble holding up traffic with their bike train this is a thriving city go to the countryside and hug your trees.
MoreMikey
says...
4:13pm Wed 9 Jun 10
NotGreen
says...
6:12pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Jobs.
I can't wait for the tougher welfare state we are going to have. Some people are in for a hell of a shock.
stan bailey
says...
9:40pm Wed 9 Jun 10
Probably more akin to street art than Chelsea. Look at allotments if you want to see ordinary people gardening well
puddingandpi
says...
9:54pm Wed 9 Jun 10
However, everyone has always known that the site was not intended for this use, that they were, in effect, squatting & that it would all have to come to an end.
We do need more housing (*affordable*. So affordable that the employees of the Tesco Express can afford to live there) so although it is a shame that the garden will go, I do hope there won't be too much fuss about it.
mjlf
says...
11:29pm Wed 9 Jun 10
caeos
says...
12:20am Thu 10 Jun 10
dixie normous
says...
6:46am Thu 10 Jun 10
Thumper Hove
says...
9:11am Thu 10 Jun 10
Thumper Hove
says...
9:13am Thu 10 Jun 10
Boris D
says...
9:41am Thu 10 Jun 10
Uncle_Meat
says...
2:02pm Thu 10 Jun 10
RottingdeanRant
says...
12:27pm Fri 11 Jun 10
Nyberg
says...
8:18pm Fri 11 Jun 10
However, a lot of people's lives have been enhanced by this garden, and the garden has become a focal point for the community.
We don't need another supermarket. We could do with a 'legal' community garden.
Perhaps the council should compulsorily purchase the land to keep it in perpetuity as a green space for the community.
Would it be that hard? Don't forget, they managed to find £500,000 to pay a chief executive an ex gratia payment not that long ago.
PaulOckenden
says...
9:04pm Fri 11 Jun 10
What the area is desperately short of though is both jobs and housing, and whether you like the proposed development or not, it will provide both.
And if the Guerilla Gardeners vacate the site nicely it might also mean that short-term projects such as this are allowed on future sites. If they renege on the original agreement (negotiated by Keith Taylor of The Green Party) though, they are likely to cause problems not only for now, but also for the future. They'll kill any chance of projects like this ever happening again.
I really can't believe how short sighted some of them are being. They talk about doing things to protect the future, but by their very actions they are doing the opposite.
Mr Lahey
says...
12:51am Sat 12 Jun 10
i) Everyone who uses the garden should get jobs, pay taxes and contribute to society.
ii) Despite there being about 5 shops within the square mile, some people actually still believe Tesco will provide healthy competition.
iii) Users of the garden should get jobs IN the tesco.
yawn.
Mr. Logical
says...
10:06am Mon 14 Jun 10
They will do whatever they can get away with to make PROFIT.
Stop kidding yourself.
Mr_Tom
says...
1:16pm Mon 14 Jun 10
my final point children.. what about the leaked plans for the Tesco's where the current sainsburys is situated? as I believe Tesco are looking to buy the site out and put a petrol station and Megastore in it's place..
Spreadly
says...
10:53pm Tue 15 Jun 10
The original agreement was that the garden was handed back when the land was needed.
Behave or developers will refuse access to other plots.
caeos says...
11:22am Wed 9 Jun 10