Finally, IRARA have reached agreement with local property developers Lexden Restorations on the way forward for the Irvine Road Orchard. Local residents voted to go for a 50 year lease on the land (at a peppercorn rent) which would allow us to develop it into a proper community orchard and nature reserve, of benefit to the local community and schools.
Details have yet to be worked out as the lease on the 60% to be retained as an orchard is yet to be drawn up and the working arrangements of separating the two areas of land before housing development begins, but it is now safe to say that general agreement has been reached and everyone is keen to get on with the new project.
We will be keeping you up to date with work schedules (and requests for volunteers) as things progress, but right now the big news is that the decade-long fight to keep the orchard is over. It’s true that we have had to compromise, but at least now 60% of the land will be genuinely accessible to the community and within our control.
It’s up to us to make a success of it.