Westminster City Council orders removal of London street garden

Westminster City Council has issued a formal notice to 89-year-old Katharine Hoskyns, ordering her to remove a street garden and bench she has maintained for over 25 years in St John’s Wood, north-west London.

Hoskyns, a retired teacher, originally created the small oasis of tomatoes, geraniums, and herbs to reclaim green space after the council installed parking outside her home. She described the area as a sociable space that allows her to interact with neighbors.

The council stated it was “reluctantly” forced to take formal action following a series of resident complaints regarding “anti-social behaviour” at the site. However, Hoskyns disputes these claims, stating that only one neighbor objects and asserting that the garden does not cause any obstruction.