Harrow Council are presently conducting a consultation regarding closing the footpath which runs through West Harrow Allotment site - details of which I have copied and pasted from the website below.

"West Harrow Allotment site is the largest allotment site in the borough. It is currently the only unlocked / unsecured site due to there being a perceived "public footpath" through the site for many years.

The site has been experiencing a range of Anti-Social Behaviour and crime issues for several years.

The Council is currently considering whether to secure the site by locking / installing gates at three entrances namely:

from the Ridgeway
from Grosvenor Avenue
from the Gardens, by West Harrow Underground Station.
These entrances would be secured by way of a number lock and the code would be provided to allotment site holders, in line with all other allotment sites in the borough. Any persons other than allotment site holder will be directed to use the public footpath through the adjacent West Harrow Recreation Ground.

The Council is seeking the views from allotment site holders, local residents and any other parties who currently use the site".

I don't agrees with the use of the word 'perceived' as it appears to be at odds with the Planning Committee minutes of 30.06.2021 as amended on 28.07.2021, Page 7 under the title 'Change of Use of Allotment Land' and as shown on the accompanying diagram which states:-

"As per the plan, the path adjacent to the allotments will remain unaltered and is already a public right of way which could be used by both pedestrians and cyclists. No loss of allotment gardens would therefore occur as a result of the development".

Also 20 years ago when the West Harrow Allotment & Garden Association (WHAGA) discussed managing the site themselves and securing the site to only allow access to plot holders the then Allotment Manager, Peter Brown and Allotment Officer, Mark Barnes were adamant that it was a Public Right of Way and therefore was not allowed!

I am of the opinion the closure of the allotment path would hugely benefit the Brethren's plans to make their site more attractive to developers as it would allow local residents, using the existing path to go to West Harrow tube station along with parents and children who walk to Vaughan School to use the path through their site so there would be no loss of access to either parties.

I know how upsetting it is for plot holders, of which I have been one in the past, to have put so much time and energy into growing produce to have it stolen, huts broken into to steal expensive tools and acts of vandalism by teens bored with nowhere to go but I don't think locking the allotment gates will stop much of that and the inconvenience to local residents, who also enjoy walking around the site, will be huge!

You can have your say by filling in the survey or to receive a paper copy by emailing asb@harrow.gov.uk with your name and address or call / text 07762 001102 

You can also attend one of Harrow Councils face-to-face chats taking place at the West Harrow Allotment site on Sunday 6th August 2023 from 10am - 12pm
Thursday 7th September 2023 from 3pm to 7pm

The survey closes on 10th September 2023 so please have a look at the consultation and respond asap

Many thanks!