Öncü Food Centre evicted from East Barnet allotment
Wandsworth County Court orders business to vacate Elliots Field Allotment and pay £2,013 in legal costs.
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Öncü Food Centre and its director, Suleyman Tekagac, have been ordered by Wandsworth County Court to vacate an allotment site in East Barnet. The court also mandated the restoration of the land and the payment of £2,013 in legal costs to Enfield Council.
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The allotment, located at Elliots Field Allotment on Aspen Way, was found to have been used for business purposes without the necessary permission. Enfield Council officers discovered the unauthorised activity during a routine inspection. Investigations revealed that trees had been removed, large freezer containers placed on the site, fencing erected, the ground paved over, and a driveway created to facilitate vehicle access. These alterations were in breach of the Allotments Acts and the council’s tenancy agreement, which permit only the cultivation of fruit, vegetables, and flowers, with limited structures like small sheds or greenhouses.
Neither Öncü Food Centre, which is registered nearby in Hertford Road, nor Mr Tekagac held a legal tenancy for the plot. The business had previously approached Enfield Council seeking to purchase or lease the land for commercial use but was refused. Despite this refusal, the site was occupied and used as a business storage facility.
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Following the defendants' initial failure to comply with the court order, bailiffs were appointed by the court to secure possession of the site and return it to Enfield Council. The council has now recovered the land. Maria Alexandrou, Enfield Council's cabinet member for environment, stated that allotments are valuable community assets and that the council would not hesitate to take action against misused or unlawfully occupied council land. She added that the successful outcome demonstrated the council's determination to protect public assets and ensure sites remain available for their intended purpose.
The recovered land will soon be made available for legitimate allotment use by residents.
Questions this report answers
+Why was Öncü Food Centre evicted from the allotment?
Öncü Food Centre and its director, Suleyman Tekagac, were evicted because the allotment at Elliots Field was used for commercial storage and alterations without permission. This breached the terms of use for council-run allotments, which are intended for cultivating fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
+What did the court order regarding the allotment site?
Wandsworth County Court ordered Öncü Food Centre and Suleyman Tekagac to vacate the allotment plot. They were also required to restore the land to its original condition and pay Enfield Council's legal costs, which amounted to £2,013.
+What will happen to the allotment land now?
Enfield Council has recovered possession of the allotment land. The council plans to make the site available again for legitimate allotment use by residents, ensuring it serves its intended community purpose.
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