Brogdale Keeps Collection

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th Dec 2007

I am delighted that the National Fruit Collection will remain where it belongs, at Brogdale

National Fruit Collection will remain at Brogdale Farm for the foreseeable future.

Kent Lib Dems have welcomed the announcement by Defra today that the national fruit collection will remain at Brogdale in Kent. Trudy Dean, Lib Dem Group Leader at Kent County Council was instrumental in persuading the KCC Scrutiny Committee last week to reconsider KCC's support for an alternative bid which would have meant the removal of the collection from Brogdale.

Defra received over 60 representations from members of the public, all of whom have asked that the collections remain at Brogdale. One of these letters included a petition with over 2000 signatures.

Defra announced today (19.12.07) that national fruit collection will remain at Brogdale and that the University of Reading will take over the contract for maintenance and curation of the collections at Brogdale from April 2008.

Trudy Dean, Leader of Lib Dem Group stated that she was disappointed that KCC's Cabinet had chosen not to support retaining the collection at Brogdale, but welcomed Defra's decision.

She said this morning ' I am delighted that the National Fruit Collection will remain where it belongs, at Brogdale and I look forward to seeing plans from the owner of the site Tony Hillier for new visitor facilities which will encourage more people to enjoy this unique collection.'