FIGHTING FOR FARM
I N A corner of West Wales there lies an ancient farm which, for centuries, has lived, breathed and provided for the community that surrounds it.
The beautiful and traditional Welsh farm dates back to at least the 14th century, and even has links as far back as the 11th century when Cadwgan ap Bleddyn was a Welsh Prince.
Trecadwgan Farm has become something of a monument for the people of this particular haven outside the village of Solva and a short distance from the UK’s smallest city, St Davids.
However, in the summer the future of the farm was plunged into jeopardy.
Trecadwgan and the history that goes with it was to be put up for sale at auction by its owners, Pembrokeshire council, with a guide price of £450,000.
There was a real possibility it would be sold to a developer who could have transformed it into holiday cottages, a campsite, or something else besides the farm that it has been for hundreds of years. A local group had other ideas. “When the council announced that they were going to put the farm up for auction a few of us just thought that we had to do something,” said Gareth Chapman, who lives in Solva and is one of the key people behind the campaign to save Trecadwgan.
“So we held a public meeting in June and Pembrokeshire council said the only way they could remove it from the auction was if we raised £50,000. So we did.”
Through fundraising, pledges and loans from local people and others further afield, raising the £50,000 should have been the hard part. Yet, having done so, the future of the historic farm is still up in the air, as although its listing at auction – set originally for July 17 – was removed, the farm is still very much for sale.
The group behind the plan to save Trecadwgan has now come up with and submitted a business plan to the council on how it intends to follow through on the whole purchase.
They have a bank on their side and their hope is that a final purchase can be agreed with the council and that a share scheme can then be established which would allow the farm to be truly owned by the people who work there, visit and care for it.
The group’s plan, ultimately, is to run an organic farm which will provide healthy food for the local community. They also want to create jobs, train and educate others in agricultural methods, and provide a space for people to take part in craftwork and sell homemade products.
The farm would also be home to events and activities that would bring people together in the name of art, music, wildlife and healthy living. It would have a local tenant, or tenants, that would pay rent and manage the farm on a day to day basis.
For this to become a reality, however, they need to strike a deal with the current owners.
“I think the council were a bit surprised that we had the money, that we were serious about this,” admits Mr Chapman.
“Maybe they thought ‘here’s a group of people with a pie in the sky idea’ but we’re quite a big group of people and we have people involved who have a level of expertise and altogether have a really knowledgeable team. It’s turned into a real campaign.
“We keep doing what they ask of us.”
The council has owned the property since the end of World War I.
According to Mr Chapman, the group set up to buy it wants to bring it back to life in the 21st century.
“For the community it’s potentially such a huge asset,” he said.
“It’s a place you want to be a part of, and a place to be used by everyone. It can educate people on the environment and on food produce.
“Our next move is to put together a proposal for the shares that will ultimately and hopefully see us take over and own Trecadwgan. The campaign will move into a fundraising mode if we’re successful with our bid to take over the farm.
“It will benefit the community as a whole. All the proceeds from the farm will be put back into the farm and into the community, and the biggest and most obvious boost to the area would be employment – there could be around 20 jobs created there.
“It’s a huge farm and there’s a whole stream of things that we can achieve there.”
Pembrokeshire council is still inviting bids for Trecadwgan Farm up until November 1, when it will decide what is best for its future, depending on what offers they have received.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “Following a cabinet decision in May 2018 to dispose of Trecadwgan Farm, Solva, arrangements were made to dispose of the property by public auction.
“The council accepted that the auction scheduled for July 17, 2019, gave the campaign group insufficient time to prepare a funding and business plan, and subsequently withdrew the property from auction.
“However, the council instructed its agents to continue to market the property and the group has been given a short time frame to prepare its funding and business plan.
“Notwithstanding the withdrawal of the property from the auction, the council still intends to accept the highest bid whether it is made by the group or not.”
Dr Steven Jones, director of community services at Pembrokeshire council, added: “The council recognises the significant interest in Trecadwgan Farm.
“It aims to strike the right balance between the ambitions of a local community group and the wider public interest of ensuring best consideration in line with Section 123 of the Local Government Act.”