The 64 holders of the Combe Down Allotments in Bath, a vegetable-growing site with a history dating back to 1894, have been given a stark warning: prepare for eviction by October 31st. The landowner has terminated the lease and served Bath and North East Somerset Council with a formal notice to vacate.
Despite the council’s efforts to negotiate, every request to meet with the landowner has been rebuffed. Deputy council leader Sarah Warren explained that the council made “a reasonable offer” to purchase the land based on a professional valuation, but this was rejected. The landowner is demanding £1.4 million for the site.
In a bid to protect the allotments, the Unincorporated Friends of Combe Down Allotments successfully had the site registered as an asset of community value. This designation may delay any sale and offer a chance for a community group to bid for the land. However, time is running out as the eviction deadline looms.
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Ms. Warren highlighted the council’s exhaustive efforts: “Since we were notified of the landowner’s intentions, we’ve explored all legal avenues to retain the site, including acquisition powers and repeatedly seeking dialogue with the landowner. Unfortunately, he has declined all meetings through his solicitor.”
Exploring alternatives, the council is investigating other allotment sites, but any relocation would surpass the November deadline. In the short term, the council plans to reserve vacant plots at other sites for the displaced Combe Down plot holders.
The campaign to save the allotments has mobilized community support, gathering nearly 6,000 petition signatures since December 2023. Still, with the owner’s firm price and refusal to negotiate, the future of these historic gardens remains uncertain.