Beloved London City Farm Under Threat as Council Lease Talks Stall
PRESS RELEASE: Beloved London City Farm Under Threat as Council Lease Talks Stall
After operating as a vital community asset for more than 50 years, the prosperity of London’s Mudchute Park and Farm is under threat, due to protracted Lease negotiations between the Charity and Landlord, London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH).
The Mudchute Association Charity has been working since 2019 to renew its long-term lease of 32 acres on the Isle of Dogs. And with its contractual lease ending in June 2024, Mudchute Association formally applied for a new lease. However, to date, LBTH had not offered terms that would allow the Charity to move forward sustainably.
Mudchute Association Charity Board of Trustees, Chair Sue Mortimer, said it was now LBTH’s policy to offer shorter leases of up to 15 years, which would make it near-impossible for Mudchute to plan for the future and to secure funding for the important work it does as a Community Charity.
“As a Charity, we rely on grants and donations to run the farm, care for rare breeds, run childcare, education for more than 10,000 school children each year, several volunteer training programmes, and provide free access to beautiful green space, all in the shadow of the rapidly developing Canary Wharf,” Sue said.
“Funders and supporters need to know we have long-term security. Without a proper lease of around 20 to 30 years, we can’t apply for many of the grants that help keep Mudchute and all of our programmes running - including welcoming more than 250,000 visitors every year.”
The news has generated fierce public protest from the Community, thousands signing a Petition, and hundreds of messages received from people asking how they can make a difference.
Sue wants to reassure the public that Mudchute is not closing. Under a law that protects long-standing tenants (the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954), the Mudchute Association Charity has the legal right to continue operating on the site while it works to agree a new lease.
“We are continuing to work with LBTH and are committed to finding a fair and sustainable agreement that will keep this valuable space free and open for everyone to enjoy, but, we now face the reality of taking formal legal action to secure Mudchute’s future,” Sue said.
“As a Charity, we don’t have the resources to fund this legal process alone. If legal action proceeds to trial, we estimate that we will need to raise around £75,000, so we have set up a JustGiving Fundraising Campaign accessible on our website.
“We’re appealing to our community to help us raise the funds, and if eligible, to sign the Official Petition on the LBTH webpage, so we can continue this vital work and protect everything Mudchute stands for.”
In another blow to the Mudchute Charity, the LBTH is proposing charging rent for the first time in the 50 year history of Mudchute’s existence.
By receiving more than 2000 Petition signatures which meet specific LBTH Criteria, Mudchute Association Charity will be eligible to briefly address LBTH on these two critical matters, at a Council Meeting on July 16 2025.
Mudchute Farm, Park and Open Space Manager, Farmer Tom Davis, said Mudchute had been at the heart of its community for decades, and everyone, including volunteers and staff, were exceptionally proud of Mudchute, especially being ‘one of the largest city farms in Europe’ right in the middle of an international city.
“But we are more than lovely green space,” Farmer Tom said. “The habitat is environmentally significant including woodland, scrub, hedges and coppice, wetland and grazed and ungrazed grassland, which we manage through Conservation Grazing and other regenerative methods.
“If the Community wants us to continue our stewardship longer-term, a lease of around 35 years would be ideal, as this allows us to progress exciting plans to preserve and improve the biodiversity and ecology of what is really a wonderful and valuable natural resource.”
Crucially, Mudchute is one of the UK’s largest Accredited Farm Parks with the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and is London’s only RBST-approved Conservation Centre.
Describing Mudchute as a ‘nationally significant centre of excellence in rare and native breed conservation, education, and environmental engagement’, Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price said “Mudchute is home to an exceptional collection of traditional British livestock, and it plays an active and expert role in safeguarding Britain’s rarest and most historically important breeds.
“The conservation of native breeds is of strategic importance. These animals carry unique genetic traits—adaptations to varied climates, resistance to disease, and compatibility with low-input, sustainable farming systems. Their preservation is essential in a world facing climate instability, biodiversity loss, and pressures on food security.”
Donations Link
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/mudchute-lease
Sign the Petition Link
https://towerhamlets.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=260
Dedicated Media Inquiry Line: 02072419550
Lease Enquiries: lease_questions@mudchute.org
The Mudchute Association, Board of Trustees
