Two guerrilla' gardeners who transformed derelict land have been summoned to appear in court tomorrow for failing to vacate the site.

GRAEME MURRAY

Two guerrilla' gardeners who transformed derelict land have been summoned to appear in court tomorrow for failing to vacate the site.

Campaigners and local families in Glasgow's west end have transformed the former Clouston Street playing fields by planting allotment beds and creating bat boxes.

However, the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign failed to vacate the council-owned waste ground within 14 days after being ordered to leave by the city council.

Now Douglas Peacock, chairman of the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign, and Karen Chung, treasurer, have been summoned to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

North Kelvin Meadow, between Clouston Street and Kelbourne Street, is to be sold to property developer New City Vision for the creation of 115 flats and homes, which could earn the authority up to £12m.

The sale has sparked anger among many local residents, and so far more than 500 people have put their names to a petition opposing the closure of the allotment site.

Signatories on the online petition include MSPs Bob Doris and Patrick Harvie, and authors Alasdair Gray and Louise Welsh.

The petition states: "Local people feel strongly it should remain a community space and do not want these flats on the land.

"Local authorities are required by law to provide allotment sites and the Convention Of Scottish Local Authorities has compiled a report that urges local authorities to acquire, manage and develop more land for allotments."

The Glasgow site has signed up to the Landshare initiative run by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his River Cottage firm, which aims to unite volunteer gardeners with landowners and derelict sites in urban areas.

North Kelvin Meadow itself has earned praise from a Scottish criminology expert, Dr Laura Piacentini, who said last month that it would be "folly" to evict the gardeners from the area.

"I see huge crime-reduction benefits from supporting efforts such as the North Kelvin Meadow," she said.

"There is a massive research body which demonstrates that when a council or government body takes the bold initiative to step back, and engages with communities, then this gives a promise of them functioning in meaningful, inclusive and dynamic ways."

The gardeners recruited local families to improve the site, which has also been turned into an orchard with wild flowers, a vegetable patch and composting area.

But Glasgow City Council says the group is effectively using the land without consent and on July 15 served it with an eviction notice. The group failed to leave and the case will now be heard by a sheriff.

The authority says the development will provide family homes, a park and fund new playing facilities at the corner of Queen Margaret Drive and Maryhill Road.

A council spokesman said: "The sheriff will hear the case in court on Friday."