Community garden opens after allotment saga

The project to create community gardens in Seaton has been six years in the making

Villagers evicted from their allotments are celebrating the opening of a new community garden after six years of work.

Residents of Seaton in West Cumbria can finally access the facility at Meadow Vale - but it has been a long journey according to parish councillor Danny Horsley.

The project was promised by Seaton Parish Council when the allotments closed nine years ago.

Mr Horsley said: "I very much look forward to seeing it grow and see the community get involved and enjoy it."

Land at Lowca Lane, which was used as allotments, was sold at auction in 2011.

A legal battle with the new owners ensued, but plot holders were eventually evicted in 2015 and the search for a new site began.

A local farmer offered Meadow Vale to the parish council for just £1, with work beginning there in 2017.

'A lot of work'

Mr Horsley said: "With the legal process it took ages for it to come to fruition.

"We started off with the allotments because there was a demand and then it's been six years in the making to create the community gardens.

"We had to drain the land because it was very marshy."

The site now provides raised beds and a polytunnel that villagers can use.

Mr Horsley said the parish council's desire is for the project to be fully community-led, with key-holders to be identified among residents.

"This is for the whole of the community, somewhere they can go and meet up, they can have a chat, plant some seeds in the polytunnel."

He added plans were also in the pipeline to plant trees, increase biodiversity and attract wildlife.

"The feedback we're getting already has been amazing," he said.

"It hasn't been done overnight, it's been six years in the making and a lot of work, but we're there now."