The fate of allotments that are the subject of a legal battle between campaigners and a council is still waiting to be decided.

A court hearing began this morning on whether to hold a judicial review over the future of Farm Terrace Allotments, in Occupation Road, Watford.

Campaigners have been fighting to save the allotments for the past four years after Watford Borough Council earmarked them for development as part of the Health Campus Scheme.

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The Health Campus scheme aims to redevelop the land around Watford General with a new hospital, housing and leisure facilities.

The original Health Campus masterplan, drawn up in 2007, showed the development built around the Terrace Farm allotments, which have been in use since 1896.

Watford Observer:

Barrister Jason Coppel, on behalf of the campaigners, said the council has not set out what the land will be used for and there is no guarantee a hospital, school or housing development will be built there.

He also said that building a development for profit cannot be considered an exceptional circumstance.

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In order for the council to build on the land, there must be exceptional circumstances.

But barrister Zoe Leventhal on behalf of the Secretary of State for communities and local governments argued that a number of small circumstances can make up one exceptional circumstance.

Watford Observer:

Speaking outside court, Sara Jane Trebar, who spearheaded the campaign said: "This is a very emotional day, we have been battling this for a long time but I feel very confident we can win."

Rosangela Santarsiero, 43, has been going to the allotments with her father since she was six months old. She says the allotments have helped her father, Vincenzo, remain healthy.

She said: "Without the allotments my father wouldn't be here today.

"They help him physically and mentally and in a world that's only getting more stressful, they're the best place to relax and escape."

The court case is continuing.