A landowner has served a notice to Bath & North East Somerset Council to vacate his land on an allotment site in Combe Down that has operated for more than 100 years.

The council had been given an informal notice of the landowner’s intention to serve a formal notice to terminate the council’s lease, but at the time no dates were given, and any information provided was non-binding.

Since then, discussions took place to ensure the council can remain in occupation on the site, including the possibility of them purchasing it.

Currently, there are 64 lots that the council leases out on the site. Now, the premises must be vacated by November 30 2025.

Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for neighbourhoods at B&NES Council, said: “This land has been used for allotments since 1894 and continues to be of significant social value for the community so this is a hugely disappointing decision.

“We have explored all options to save Combe Down Allotments and we are continuing to do so. This has included exploring any statutory acquisition powers for the site. We have also requested meetings with the landowner to understand why he wants the council to vacate the land. Unfortunately, all requests to meet have, to date, been declined through his solicitor.”

Earlier this year the council wrote to allotment holders setting out the complex legal situation, the progress that the council had made to date, its willingness to engage with the landowner and its commitment to remain on the site so that the long history of food-growing and allotments afforded to the community of Combe Down could continue.

Councillor Ball added: “We are in negotiations to purchase the land and the council is also exploring alternative sites. We will continue to work with the allotment holders but we have to be realistic. There is no specific timeframe over which the obligation for the provision of an alternative allotment site must be satisfied.”

The site has however been added to the council’s list of Assets of Community Value (ACV), following a successful nomination from a group of residents.

Though the owner of an ACV can sell to a buyer of their choosing, they cannot dispose of it without notifying the council. Once notified, the council will start the process of an over six-month period to give potential community interest groups enough time to form and submit a bid, then potentially complete the purchase.