Community gardeners evicted from meadow

Two guerrilla gardeners who transformed a derelict site into a wild meadow and vegetable plot have been taken to court by Glasgow City Council.

A community group led by Douglas Peacock and Karen Chung planted allotments and raised flower beds at North Kelvin Meadow, formerly Clousten Street playing fields.

Peacock and Chung were summoned to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court for failing to vacate the council-owned waste ground, which had lain derelict for at least 25 years.

The sheriff ruled that Peacock and Chung should not create any more raised beds or install bat boxes.

The council said they plan to sell the site for a new development with 115 flats and homes, raising up to £12 million.

However, the plans have sparked anger among local residents, who have set up a petition opposing the council’s decision to shut down the allotments.

The 500 signatures on the petition include MSPs Bob Doris and Patrick Harvie, and authors Alasdair Gray and Louise Welsh.

“Local people feel strongly it should remain a community space and do not want these flats on the land,” the petition says.

“Local authorities are required by law to provide allotment sites and the Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities has compiled a report that urges local authorities to acquire, manage and develop more land for allotments.”

Patrick Harvie MSP said the legal action was “absurd”.

“The city council has seriously misjudged popular feeling about the North Kelvin Meadow, and it will regret this absurd legal action,” he said.

“Local people are being taken to court for improving their public space, for working together and for growing their own fruit and veg, something which Glasgow needs to do much more of.

“The North Kelvin Meadow Campaign is Glasgow at its finest, and the council should be listening to it, not prosecuting it.”

Last month, Scottish criminology expert Dr Laura Piacentini said it would be “folly” to evict the gardeners from the meadows.

“I see huge crime-reduction benefits from supporting efforts such as the North Kelvin Meadow,” she said.

“There is a massive research body which demonstrates that when a council or government body takes the bold initiative to step back, and engages with communities, then this gives a promise of them functioning in meaningful, inclusive and dynamic ways.”

Local families have helped to develop the site, which includes an orchard, a wild flower meadow, vegetable allotments, and a composting area.

Campaigners pointed out that the sheriff’s ruling only applies to two named individuals and does not stop others from gardening on the site.