A director of a supermarket business has been formally evicted from an Enfield Council allotment after unlawfully transforming the land into a storage and access area for commercial use.
Öncü Food Centre and its director, Mr Suleyman Tekagac, were ordered by Wandsworth County Court on 14 July 2026 to vacate a plot at Elliots Field Allotment, Aspen Way (EN3 6QE), restore the land and pay Enfield Council's legal costs of £2,013.00
The court order followed legal action by the Council after the allotment was found to have been used for business purposes without permission.
After the defendants initially failed to comply with the order, the court appointed bailiffs to secure possession of the site and return it to the Council.
Neither Mr Tekagac nor Öncü Food Centre held a legal tenancy for the allotment plot. The business, which is registered nearby, had previously approached the Council seeking to buy or lease the land for commercial use but was refused permission. Despite this, the site was occupied by them and used as a business storage facility. The unauthorised use was uncovered by Council officers during a routine site inspection.
Investigations revealed that trees had been removed and the allotment substantially altered. Large freezer containers were placed on the land, fencing was erected, the ground was paved over and a driveway was created to allow vehicle access.
Under the Allotments Acts and the Council's allotment tenancy agreement, plots may only be used for the cultivation of fruit, vegetables and flowers. The tenancy agreement allows only limited structures, such as small sheds, greenhouses or polytunnels.
The land has now been recovered by the Council and will be made available once again for legitimate allotment use.
Councillor Maria Alexandrou, Enfield Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "Allotments are valuable community assets that exist to help residents grow food, enjoy the outdoors and support biodiversity. This plot was unlawfully occupied and substantially altered, depriving local people of land intended for community use.
"We will not hesitate to take action where Council land is misused or occupied without permission. This successful outcome demonstrates our determination to protect public assets, enforce the law and ensure allotment sites remain available for residents to enjoy for their intended purpose."
Residents interested in renting an allotment plot can find information about available sites, fees and tenancy conditions on the Enfield Council website.