Campaigners hoping to save allotments in Watford have spoken of their sense of “injustice” at the decision to allow the Health Campus scheme to go ahead.

Watford Borough Council today received a decision from the Government that it can go ahead with the scheme to build 681 new homes and regenerate Watford General Hospital.

The scheme includes building on land that is currently occupied by the Farm Terrace allotments. 

Spokeswoman for Save Farm Terrace Sara Jane Trebar said: “It is with great sadness and a complete sense of injustice that we have to announce the decision.

“We believe that Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and Watford Borough Council have acted appallingly throughout this whole campaign and we have been shocked and deeply upset by their attitude towards plot holders.

“We still find it bitterly disappointing that when given the opportunity (numerous times) to include Farm Terrace in their plans for a much needed regeneration of the area, Watford Borough Council refused point blank to discus possibilities of inclusion or compromise.

“It is worth noting that the council closed the waiting list for Farm Terrace back in 2012 which meant that plots have been left vacant and overgrown.

"It has broken our hearts that these plots which could have been let out to families in the local area have been withheld from the community over the past four years, whilst the use of Food banks in Watford has shown a significant increase in usage.

“This has been a very public and very emotional battle for all the plot holders. We have won three times including a monumental case in the High Court, however this latest decision in our opinion shows how unjust this system is and that each time the ’little person’ wins the goal posts will be changed.

“Once again we feel very bitter about this third decision and extremely angry at the lack of government support; they say they support allotments, but this decision suggests that’s all just empty words.

"We hope we can use our experience to prevent others having to go through the same.”

Campaigners, who have waited 15 months for this decision, said they are consulting with their legal team to see if they can challenge the latest decision.