The November Link looked back to 2006 when Swindon Council came up with the idea to reclaim and repurpose Lower Shaw Farm on Old Shaw Lane for executive housing, after 30 years as a community and cultural hub in the town.
A campaign stood up to the council and after five years of slow negotiations a 25 year lease was agreed with farm tenants Matt Holland and Andrea Hirsch so that they could continue its work.
Former leader of Swindon Council Rod Bluh
Reflecting on his role, former council lead Rod Bluh said: “It all kicked off when a group of people in the council believed the farm was being subsidised and receiving preferential treatment. To a degree I saw their point but didn’t want to see Lower Shaw Farm closed because it is part of a much bigger picture in the town.
”I also thought it was not politically clever to create a fight about a facility that was so obviously well supported by the community - in Swindon, all over the country and abroad, from the range of emails I received.
”I’m really pleased by the way things turned out, even though it took a long time to work through all the decision making of agreeing a lease. My firmly held view was that Lower Shaw Farm is not about the money; it represents a value to our town which has to be quantified in different ways.
”I accept Lower Shaw Farm is not for everybody but we all need different things in life; I’m glad I’ve been part of keeping alive something which is unique to Swindon.”
Discover more at: www.lowershawfarm.co.uk
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