Key Questions Answered

Who are we?

The Fortis Green Community Allotments Trust is a not-for-profit limited company with charitable objectives, set up by allotment holders and their friends and neighbours to buy the site from Thames Water, in order to save this lovely green space from the threat of development. Most of us live in walking distance of the site.

What was the problem?

Thames Water, who owned the land, wanted to sell it because they say it is surplus to their needs. They informed the allotment holders by letter that it would be sold as allotment land – i.e. with no change of use – but we found out that potential bidders were being shown a ‘feasibility sketch’ which shows two blocks of flats, 18 houses and parking space for 50 cars on the site. The narrow lane by the primary school would be widened for traffic, the beautiful line of cherry trees would be felled and the little copse would be bulldozed.

Aren’t allotments protected?

Most are, because most are in local authority ownership, but these ones were owned by a private company (which also owns the covered reservoir next door) - and so outside most of the legislation. Even so the land enjoys a measure of protection because it is designated by Haringey Council as ‘Significant Local Open Land’ (SLOL).