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Anger as workmen rip out 'lovely' alley garden

Haider SaleemNorth West
Tom Marrett A woman sits in the alleyway on a picknick bench in the evening. She is surrounded by plants and lights.Tom Marrett
About four households led the project, with other neighbours helping occasionally.

Residents who spent years developing a community garden in an alleyway came home to find workmen had ripped it out.

They said they had spent five years growing fruit trees and decking out the Levenshume, Greater Manchester alley - some of it paid for by Manchester City Council funding.

But Tom Marrett and Maeve Cowan returned home to find everything gone, including a mature grapevine.

Basat Sheikh, the council's executive member for neighbourhoods, and Zahid Hussain said senior officers had been asked to investigate, adding the clearance "should never have happened".

The garden runs behind homes between Stanhope Street, Gordon Avenue and Delamere Road.

Marrett, 37, a designer who runs a community workshop in Stockport, discovered the clearance while taking out his bins on Friday evening.

Tom Marrett An alleyway which is lush with grass and wildflowers. A black gate is on the left of the photo. Tom Marrett
Residents transformed the previously fly-tipped alleyway into a community garden with fruit trees, flowers and picnic tables

"Normally you're sort of surrounded by all this greenery," he said.

"I went out there and I could just see a brick wall. I thought I was dreaming."

He described what had happened as a "catastrophe" and said it felt like "cultural vandalism" because the garden was a communal space where neighbours gathered.

Tom Marrett The alleyway, which is once again derelict. Tom Marrett
Some raised planters survived, but residents said fruit trees, flowers and a mature grapevine were cut down

Marrett and Cowan moved to the area about six years ago and began improving the alleyway the following year.

They said residents initially removed fly-tipped rubbish before adding fruit trees, flowers, shrubs, planters and picnic tables.

Tom Marrett Maeve (left) and Tom (right) stand in an empty alleyway. They are holding a small bunch of grapes, a cutting from the vines that they say had been growing there before it was cleared. Tom Marrett
Tom Marrett and Maeve Cowan described the clearance of part of the five-year community project, which included fruit trees, as "cultural vandalism"

Four households were closely involved, while about 15 other residents helped occasionally.

The couple said the garden had been used for street parties, a children's party and shared meals.

Cowan said "everyone from every background came together to have these lovely gatherings in the alleyway".

Tom Marrett Families, with young children, gather in the alleyway sharing food. Tom Marrett
The alleyway was used for street gatherings and children's parties

Marrett said two grants totalling about £1,800 from the council's Neighbourhood Investment Fund had paid for plants, timber, picnic tables, tools and protective equipment.

Residents had also received a council leaflet days before the clearance encouraging people to "take ownership" of alleyways and transform them into communal areas.

Tom Marrett The alleyway after it has been cleared of all its greenery. Tom Marrett
The council has not said who carried out or authorised the work

The plants included apples, pears, raspberries and a mature grapevine. The couple had planned to use its harvest to make wine.

Residents also said hedgehogs had nested in the area and bats regularly visited it.

Tom Marrett A hand holding a bunch of green grapes.Tom Marrett
Marrett said residents had planned to make wine using grapes grown in the alleyway

Marrett said neighbours reported seeing people wearing high-visibility clothing using strimmers during Friday, but the BBC has not established who they were working for.

He said plants growing in the ground were cleared, although some plants in raised planters elsewhere in the alleyway were left untouched.

Mr Marrett estimated the material damage at "at least £500 worth of plants and infrastructure".

"It's so hard to say, as you can't put a figure on the time and effort," he added.

'Sentimental'

In a joint statement, Labour administration councillors Sheikh and Hussain said they were "deeply saddened and appalled" after visiting the site and speaking to residents.

They said neither of them had been informed of, or authorised, any clearance work.

The councillors said they had asked senior officers to establish who authorised the work, why residents were not consulted, and why planting and community facilities were removed.

They also called for the council to support residents in restoring the garden and take steps to prevent similar incidents.

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