Stonebridge Farm

And in other local campaign newstThe Stonbridge Farm campaigners are cautiously optimistic that they may have been successful in persuading the council that nicking their land is a dumb-ass move. From their Facebook page -

"City says it will write to the farm today (2nd feb) to offer a lease without conditions and go back to the drawing board to see how the farm fits into the regeneration of the stonebridge estate. Has the city council listened to the many friends of the farm? Well going from comments from officers you can judge for yourself "the issue of taking land from the farm has become a nightmare" and even with a new lease the council "can use a compulsory purchase order to remove land from the farm ". Is the offer of a new lease without conditions a political ploy to appear to be protecting the farm or is it a genuine commitment to protect the farm. It may become clearer latter today."

Congratulations to the campaign if the optimism turns out to be justified. Quite how NCC ever thought it would be anything less than a PR disaster trying this on while at the same time trying to encourage more local food growing is beyond me.

Mind you, PR doesn't appear to be the City Council's strong point.

Update 3 Feb - looks any optimism was largely misplaced. From the Facebook page today -

"Councillor Alan Clark today admits that the threatening way the council "negotiated " with the farm was wrong. That a new lease will be offered and then a negotiation will commence with the farm for the removal of 10% of its land for use as residents parking. This change of approach by the council has been achieved thr...ough us making our opinions heard. We unfortunately have not won yet! To strengthen the farms position in negotiation please get friends to sign the petition and write to councilors."