I felt compelled to write following your recent article regarding the proposed housing developments on what used to be the community’s precious and historic allotment site.

READ MORE: Homes proposed for Watford Riverwell site

We are absolutely gutted, but sadly not at all surprised that this has come to light. It was always our fear that our ‘beloved’ allotment site would become nothing more than high density ‘dwellings’ and a multi storey car park. We notice here that there is no mention of the 'new hospital’, something which the Lib Dems loved to mention in their bids to win local favour. Of course seven years on since the council made the decision proposing to close the allotments no funding has been forthcoming to do build any new hospital facilities. Also, since then the population of Watford alone, let along west Hertfordshire has increased by another 5,000 to 95,500 putting more pressure on local services. We would like to state that we offered compromise to Manny Lewis, Watford Council’s chief executive, to retain a small part of the allotments in the overall development, preserved for history’s sake. Unfortunately, the Lib Dems refused to even consider it. This shows it was nothing more than a land grab. Shame on all those involved.

It is my understanding that there will be yet more ‘dwellings’ to come. Mostly without gardens I suspect. Such a travesty to close the allotments when they would be needed more than ever! I do hope that the residents of Watford will unite in fighting this overdevelopment of what has now become the most densely populated area of Watford, surpassing Callowlands and now one of the most densely populated in Hertfordshire.

Meantime, many of the replaced allotments from Farm Terrace now located at Paddock Road in Oxhey stand derelict and unused due to lack of demand. This issue was highlighted by the tenants in their court fight as retaining all or some of the allotments in West Watford would meet the significant demand that would be warranted when the housing developments were complete. Finally, we will never forget Dorothy Thornhill and her Lib Dem compatriots’ utter deceit and disregard for the environment and need for spaces in West Watford to allow residents the health benefits of growing their own food which they had been doing since the 1890s.

Sara Jane Trebar

Farm Terrace Allotments spokeswoman