Statement from ART on the Forest Garden at Dartington

This afternoon our landlords have released a public statement (https://www.dartington.org/forest-garden-update/ which contain a number of misleading statements which we feel we have to correct.

“We have had constructive and productive discussions with Martin over the past week.”

No, we had one meeting on Weds 19th March when positive noises were made by DHT representatives. Then on Tuesday 25th March we had an email from David Triesman failing to address our need for long term security of the site. We would not have met otherwise.

“Eviction was not on the agenda and is not the intention.”

We were served notice by one member of DHT staff which was then queried by us, to be confirmed by Nick Harris (COO). Obviously eviction was on the agenda.

“Our objective is simple: to work with Martin to agree a physical solution for making the boundary of the forest garden secure and safe, meeting the needs of a prospective tenant for the larger adjoining site of the former college. Nothing more.”

That may be so, but that wasn’t what our meeting on 19th March concentrated on, which was our need for long term security of the site following an irrevocable breakdown in trust between ART and DHT as a result of the eviction notice.

“He has already gained a legal opinion telling him he has good security of tenure”

DHT have not rescinded their notice to quit. Whether they do so or not is now irrelevant as our lease runs out in just over 3 years in any case – this is not good security of tenure.

“That is a longer term conversation”

No, we agreed in our meeting on 19th March that security of tenure is something that we need answers to speedily. Thus our extreme disappointment that David Triesman’s letter of 25th March failed to offer us anything in the way of long term security options.

From our perspective any agreement to a physical solution – ie fencing – to satisfy the SEN school interested in taking over the ex-Schumacher College buildings is inextricably linked to DHT coming forward with a solution giving us long term security of tenure. We have written to David Triesman making this point and publicly call on DHT to see sense and come to an agreement on this.

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