Gardeners evicted from Derbyshire allotment site which has been lovingly cultivated for more than 100 years

All 36 tenants of plots on the Starkholmes Allotments site on the outskirts of Matlock have been served notice by their landlord. A notice detailing the eviction has been displayed on the site and fencing has been erected around its entire perimeter, to prevent access.

The notice says the tenancy of the site has been “forfeited by its landlord and freeholder Brian Edward Newton who has now taken possession”.

Mr Newton has been approached for comment. Allotment holders had been given until September 29 to leave the site, evicting them after more than 100 years of cultivation by the local community.

A number of legal proceedings are currently pending, with Derbyshire Dales District Council fighting an appeal from Mr Newton against its designation of the plot as a formal “asset of community value”.

The district council is also helping Matlock Town Council in its aim to compulsory buy or hire the site from Mr Newton by force. Thousands of pounds of taxpayer cash and fundraised money have already been gathered and spent to fight the ongoing battles.

The allotment association claims the site owner erected fencing around the site on December 12 and says Mr Newton told them he was taking ownership because the tenants had not paid their rent.

A representative of the Starkholmes Allotment Management Committee said: “Our rent was paid for the six months to March 24, 2023 on September 27, in accordance with the terms of our lease, but the money was returned to our bank account by the landlord’s agent on October 7.

“In a letter handed to us yesterday (December 13), Mr Newton’s solicitors said he was ending our lease because we had not paid the rent. This is such a bizarre situation we find ourselves in.”

A district council spokesperson said: “Derbyshire Dales District Council continues to support Starkholmes Allotment Association through defending an appeal against the listing of the site as an asset of community value (ACV) and by pursuing compulsory purchase/hire action. The ACV appeal hearing is on January 10 and we are currently working towards that date.”