Residents feel ‘powerless’ after Letchworth allotments vandalised
Damaged allotments by travellers in Letchworth near to Blackhorse Road - Credit: Archant
A woman whose Letchworth allotment was vandalised has labelled those responsible as scum.
Damaged allotments by travellers in Letchworth near to Blackhorse Road - Credit: Archant
Polythene tunnels have been slashed open, several sheds destroyed and gardening equipment stolen from a set of allotments in Flint Road.
The vandalism took place between August Bank Holiday Monday and Sunday – the day travellers left the former GW King factory on Blackhorse Road, which backs on to the North Herts District Council-owned allotments.
Speaking to the Comet, an anonymous allotment owner who lives in the town said: “I feel absolutely powerless, upset and very disappointed. Whoever did this did it out of pure spite.
“My shed is completely trashed, so is my greenhouse. None of them were locked so they could have gone in there and taken what they wanted but they wanted to destroy it because they find that sort of thing funny. I wouldn’t even call them people, they’re scum.
The destruction at the GW King site in Letchworth after the travellers left on Sunday night. Credit: Paul Ross - Credit: Archant
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“The police have been brilliant whenever we’ve had a problem but I’ve been asking the district council for years to secure this site and put up some fences but they’ve done nothing. Something like this was always going to happen if you can access the site so easily. It was just a matter of time.”
The vandalism follows a report in the Comet last week when neighbours of the GW King site – which was occupied by about 15 caravans – complained about excessive noise and objects being thrown over fences.
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The site, where a deliberate fire was reported earlier this month, is currently filled with dumped rubbish.
Although the land has been derelict since 2008 after the car parts manufacturing business there closed, it is set to be turned into 159 homes after the district council approved a scheme on Thursday.
The housing will consist of 36 two-bedroom flats, two two-bedroom houses, 35 three-bedroom houses and 86 four-bedroom houses – 40 per cent of which will be affordable.
Councillor Fiona Hill, planning control committee vice-chairman at NHDC, said: “The development will provide much needed new housing for the area on a site which has been vacant and derelict for some time. The committee felt that the proposal would result in a high quality, visually attractive development which would enhance the surrounding area and be in keeping with the garden city concept.”
