Allotment gardeners' compensation dispute with Severn Trent

[dutchman]

Allotment gardeners are lobbying Severn Trent for compensation, claiming works on the water system have ruined their plots for the last two years.



Severn Trent has been upgrading the reservoir in Scots Lane, Coundon, and had to run pipes and vehicles through the neighbouring Radford Road Allotments during the work.

Gardeners claim initial talks with Severn Trent have suggested the 11 gardens most severely affected could be offered £60 each.

But the growers have labelled it “an insult”, saying the firm has no understanding of how much time, money and effort has been wasted.

Queenie Smith, 78, who digs the site with 87-year-old husband Huw, said: “The gardeners have lost two years’ gardening and haven’t been able to grow anything properly.

“We had notice from Severn Trent that they had this work to do but they left the gardens in a real state.

“They’ve ripped hedges out and consequently we’ve lost birds because they’ve had nowhere to nest.

“We put a bag and a half of potatoes in and got five tiny spuds from it.

“Where they’ve worked, the potatoes have been coming up rotten because they’ve run heavy tracked vehicles over the site and it’s crushed the soil underneath.

“Consequently there’s no oxygen in there.

“The gardens are ok now but that’s two years that we’ve lost.

“We’ve all had to go out and buy our vegetables this year and it’s nothing like eating your own.

“The whole point is that they’ve ruined the ambience of the gardens and they don’t think our time is worth anything.

“Yes, it’s leisure time but it’s still time and when you get to our age time is precious.”

She added: “They’ve asked know what compost we use and what manure we put down so that they can price up everything.

“But it doesn’t work that way. We’ve lost so much. We had one bloke walk off a double plot because of this work.

Gardeners were sent a letter stating: “If Severn Trent does cause permanent loss in value of your land or if you suffer temporary loss you may be entitled to compensation.”

Grace Marren, spokeswoman at Severn Trent, said: “As with any work we carry out, we are committed to compensating those that have suffered a loss as a direct result of our work. We will work closely with the allotment holders to understand the loss they have suffered and offer a fair compensation.

“Those that would like to apply for compensation will need to submit a formal claim before we can make a proper assessment or payment.”

[rebbonk]

It's a shame that ST knows the cost of everything, but the value of nothing!