Campaigners fight to save Starkholmes Allotments from development

All of the tenants of Starkholmes Allotments were served eviction notices last month

A hearing is due to take place as part of a group's fight to save an allotment, which has been used for more than 100 years, from development.

Tenants of Starkholmes Allotments were evicted from the site last month by landlord Brian Newton and it has now been fenced off.

Derbyshire Dales District Council has designated it an "asset of community value" to prevent development.

But Mr Newton is challenging this at an appeal hearing later.

Diggers were seen working on the site, near Matlock, last week.

Campaigners said they were surprised that work was being carried out ahead of the hearing.

Meg Mansfield and Chris Wright are fighting to save the allotments

Resident Brian Downing told BBC Radio Derby: "I was astounded. It seems to be pre-empting the tribunal."

Meg Mansfield added: "I think we are all together in this.

"The whole community is rooting for the allotment holders and we want the allotment to stay here, it's been here for 100 years. It should stay - it is a community asset."

Chris Wright, who has been on the allotments for 40 years, said: "I've cried quite a lot and I feel awful.

"It's heart-breaking. People have loved these allotments for so long and cared for them and to see them being dug up is not very nice at all."

Mr Newton said the diggers were not doing any damage but just cleaning up the site.

His spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "There hasn't been any damage done.

"The site is in the ownership of the landlord and it has been in a mess for a long time now and it is being cleaned up.

"All the property belonging to the allotment holders will be removed and returned to them."

The allotments were set up for returning servicemen from World War One

Dozens of tenants were served eviction notices in December after a year of battling to prevent their removal.

The district council is also helping Matlock Town Council in its aim to compulsory buy or hire the site from Mr Newton by force, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

The allotments were set up for returning service personnel from World War One, as a method of rest and rehabilitation.