Peterborough farmer fears having to give up popular food and veg stall as council pulls out of land sale

A Peterborough farmer fears he may have to give up his popular food and veg stall after the council pulled out of a land sale following four years of negotiations.

Roy Plummer (78) has been a tenant farmer on behalf of the council in Newborough since 1975 and currently runs a stall selling his produce on Ham Lane, close to the Notcutts garden centre.

Vital to this is the use of a shed for storage and a small strip of land that runs alongside the bungalow that Roy and his wife Elaine purchased from the council at a discount in exchange for giving up their lifetime tenancy several years ago.

Without use of the sheds as storage, Roy has said that he will have to give up his stall where locals know him as ‘the plant man.’ Currently, they rent the shed byt face being left without the use of it at all if a sale is not agreed.

After the pandemic, Roy received a commendation from HM Lord-Lieuenant of Cambridgeshire Julie Spence for delivering door to door to his customers, never charging for delivery.

For this reason, the couple were surprised to receive the news that the council had pulled out of the sale after four years of negotiations and despite the fact that a deal had been agreed in March.

Another letter was subsequently sent by Savilles enclosing notices to quit the sheds within a year.

Roy said: “We feel as if we are getting walked all over by the council and that is is not fair.

"We have sat back for four years and feel as we are now in the last chance saloon or else I will have to stop selling along Ham Lane.

"During the 4 years of negotiations, the council have never told us they wanted to revise the price – never giving us the option of agreeing to pay more. In fact on many occasions they have never returned our emails/phone calls but we now feat that may be planning to sell to another buyer for a higher price.”

The combine shed can only be accessed via a private road in between the bungalow and the combine shed.

The purchase of the land would not change the acreage of the adjacent field in question, merely extend the couple’s boundaries slightly.

Both Roy and Elaine have said that they have worked alongside their neighbours for many years now and have encountered no hazards or problems whatsoever.

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow, who has stepped in to try and help the couple, said: “I went to see Roy and his wife at their farm near Newborough.

"This whole episode is a disgrace and the council have a moral duty to honour their word and sell the land to Roy and his wife.

“After hearing nothing for 4 years despite constant chasing - council lawyers have gone back on their word and will not sell. Roy and his wife have now been issued notice to vacate the barn and the land they rent

"They want to buy the land where the shed is placed and negotiated a price and agreement with the council four years ago. They currently rent the barn and it is crucial for their business.”

Peterborough City Council has been contacted for comment.