Campaigners fundraise for judicial review over council “failure” to process application for nomination of activities garden centre as asset of community value

The Friends Of The Rural Activities Garden Centre (FRAGC) claim that the council has “failed to meet its statutory obligations under the Localism Act” to process its application to nominate the garden centre, which is facing closure, as an Asset of Community Value.

This is despite the group’s solicitors sending a pre-action letter requesting the council behave in a “lawful manner” by deciding on the nominations.

The Rural Activities Garden Centre provides opportunities for gardening work experience and social connection for young people across Hillingdon, particularly those with autism and/or learning disabilities or mental health problems.

However, on 30 May the council announced the planned closure of the garden centre.

The campaign group noted: “Disabled users and their families had just 48 hours’ notice of the meeting at which the closure was announced by the council, yet there were over 50 attendees at this meeting.

“There was no agenda for the meeting and no written information was provided for attendees to take away.”

The group is now fundraising through Crowd Justice to support judicial review proceedings against the council.

Friends Of The Rural Activities Garden Centre said: “These [proceedings] are expected to include a request for a mandatory order requiring the council to decide on the Asset of Community Value nominations submitted by FRAGC.”

A spokesperson for Hillingdon Council said: “Following the nomination of the Rural Activities Garden Centre, the council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Property will consider formally listing the site as an Asset of Community Value in January.

"We apologise for the delay in processing the nomination of the Rural Activities Garden Centre as an Asset of Community Value. This is a complex process, however a decision is now imminent, and this has been published publicly on the council’s forward plan."

The council clarified that a decision on the future of support services at the Rural Activities Garden Centre is "still to be made", and the latest position is that the council's Cabinet agreed only to cease "retail operations" at the venue.

Lottie Winson