HOLTSFIELD - People or Profit?
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The Holtsfield Story in 2023
The 33-year-old struggle to save Holtsfield from a development company which values cash over community is entering its latest stage in 2023.
In June 2022 the new director of the Swansea based Development company Elitestone Ltd stirred up the hornets nest that is Holtsfield.
Lowri Jones took on the role which her late father played out during the 1990s. Tim Jones had a delusional vision of evicting a unique settlement of 27 small wooden homes, nestled amongst the trees on Gower peninsula in South Wales, in order to build 38 luxury houses. The developer viewed the destruction of Holtsfield as just a game. He boasted to a reporter in 1994 that he had spent £200,000 on legal fees.
‘it’s an interesting case. It is worth the money for the interest. It is a hobby, it is not my livelihood’ Tim Jones
The land was originally owned by a Mr Holt, who made his money from two Swansea sweet shops in the early 20th century and rented plots out for 60 years where people built their own wooden homes and raised their families amongst the trees and wished to continue. The residents banded together and offered him £350,000 but Jones refused and continued with his eviction plan to build his multi-million pound housing complex. Jones then raised their rent from £85 to £1000, so residents refused to pay and instead got active.
1933 Holtsfield began as holiday chalets
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In 2023 Holtsfield continues as permanent dwellings
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The people who had been born on Holtsfield, and whose families had grown up on it since the 1930s, were suddenly thrust into the media spotlight.
TV news filmed residents banging drums outside the office of Elitestone, and photographed protests outside Barclays Bank, backers of the developer. Their actions generated headlines in the national press, with one TV report narrated by legendary DJ, John Peel. The Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture labelled Holtsfield as ‘Arcadia’.
Despite all this, Elitestone hired a group of private security and headed into Holtsfield in the early hours of November 22, 1995. Following frantic phone calls, the High-Viz invaders were met by hundreds of local supporters and residents at 7.30am, who refused to allow their neighbours homes to be destroyed. As Police officers watched, two doors of the small wooden homes were smashed in with sledgehammers, brutally cleared and boarded up.
A third home was then surrounded by supporters, whilst one mournfully played a saxophone. Inside one home the local vicar chained himself to a grandmother. The invaders had to withdraw when it became clear that the residents and their supporters would not move. In their wake, they left shattered homes and extremely upset people, especially amongst the children. Decades later some, who were teenagers at the time, talk of being traumatised since that day.
The halted evictions effectively ended Elitestone’s plan to demolish Holtsfield. Residents took their case to the House of Lords in 1997. To raise awareness, they walked the hundreds of miles across Wales and England to London. Five Law Lords ruled unanimously agreed that the law stated that because the wooden cabins were connected to the land when Jones bought it, he now owned the dwellings too. The residents ended up in the bizarre situation of losing their homes, which they had paid for and now had Elitestone as their reluctant landlord. Not ideal, but at least some of the residents could now enjoy protected tenancies. While some gained protection and low rent under the law, other residents were still left in jeopardy.
TV news filmed residents banging drums outside the office of Elitestone, and photographed protests outside Barclays Bank, backers of the developer. Their actions generated headlines in the national press, with one TV report narrated by legendary DJ, John Peel. The Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture labelled Holtsfield as ‘Arcadia’.
Despite all this, Elitestone hired a group of private security and headed into Holtsfield in the early hours of November 22, 1995. Following frantic phone calls, the High-Viz invaders were met by hundreds of local supporters and residents at 7.30am, who refused to allow their neighbours homes to be destroyed. As Police officers watched, two doors of the small wooden homes were smashed in with sledgehammers, brutally cleared and boarded up.
A third home was then surrounded by supporters, whilst one mournfully played a saxophone. Inside one home the local vicar chained himself to a grandmother. The invaders had to withdraw when it became clear that the residents and their supporters would not move. In their wake, they left shattered homes and extremely upset people, especially amongst the children. Decades later some, who were teenagers at the time, talk of being traumatised since that day.
The halted evictions effectively ended Elitestone’s plan to demolish Holtsfield. Residents took their case to the House of Lords in 1997. To raise awareness, they walked the hundreds of miles across Wales and England to London. Five Law Lords ruled unanimously agreed that the law stated that because the wooden cabins were connected to the land when Jones bought it, he now owned the dwellings too. The residents ended up in the bizarre situation of losing their homes, which they had paid for and now had Elitestone as their reluctant landlord. Not ideal, but at least some of the residents could now enjoy protected tenancies. While some gained protection and low rent under the law, other residents were still left in jeopardy.
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Tim Jones, Director of Elitestone ltd was filmed by Undercurrents in August 2004 in Holtsfield. Watch the video |
Swansea council followed up by designating Holtsfield as a conservation area, which ended Elitestone’s million pound dream of building luxury houses.
Over the last 25 years, some residents have managed to buy the freehold of their homes from Elitestone, while some continued to rent. A few others just awaited to see what Tim Jones and Elitestone would do next.
Tim Jones responded by ignoring most, if not all, of his landlord responsibilities to maintain the properties. Despite gaining a rental income each month, the company left the wooden dwellings to rot. Residents complained of leaking roofs, lack of drainage, terrible road surface, extremely low water pressure and the numerous other problems which Elitestone was legally responsible for. For decades, nothing was done, leaving residents in fear to even ask for even minor repairs. On the rare occasions that Tim Jones toured Holtsfield, residents found sudden reasons to leave the field. Not surprising, as Jones had a reputation for being absurd. He frequently sent random letters declaring that residents were trespassers and should leave Holtsfield, but he never followed up his threats with any legal action. He would accept rent one month and then refuse to accept it the next. In 2014 he called in the Police to evict one family, labelling them (wrongly) as squatters. Police declined to get involved in his squabble, stating it was a civil matter.
One resident eventually plucked up the courage and asked for his leaking roof to be replaced. When the request fell on deaf ears, the resident funded the repairs himself. Elitestone responded by increasing the resident's rent, claiming his property was worth more now since he had a working roof. Jones has also threatened one resident with eviction for putting the stamp upside down on the envelope of her rental cheque.
A Holtsfield chalet 2022
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Elitestone's 'Men in black' in Holtsfield Sept 2022
The Guardian news report
1995
Mr Holt sweet shop 1910
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Following a long illness, Tim Jones died in 2016 leaving his daughter Lowri to become the dominant Director of Elitestone. Perhaps finally realising that her company has legal responsibilities as a landlord, Elitestone began paying for the repair of three dwellings. The stress the 43 year old director has endured in her life is illustrated by the fact that she has survived two heart attacks. Residents hoped relations with Elitestone would improve under her management, and some openly supported Lowri Jones, while others viewed her just as much a victim of her father's delusional actions as they were.
This viewpoint was reinforced in the eyes of at least some of the residents in June 2022. Ms Jones hired a solicitors firm to issue demands that 7 of the 26 dwellings be vacated by September 2022. The letters were all hand-delivered one morning by a group of large men dressed in black. The recipient residents called it blatant intimidation.
Two of the dwellings included residents who had bought their homes in the 1980s and have lived in Holtsfield for more than 30 years. They are both grandmothers now. One of the residents to receive a letter played a key role during the resistance in 1995, training other residents how to use direct action to save their homes. Two of the other dwellers were granted protected tenancies from the High court ruling in 1997. They have owned their wooden homes since the I970s. One had to call the Police after Elitestone sent men to break through a side wall of her home during lockdown. While she was away, they photographed her possessions and left her home open to the Winter elements. Another resident served with a letter has paid rent to Elitestone for 7 years, for a house with only a chemical toilet and no bathroom. The seventh dwelling contains an artist who had occupied a shed, and spent years converting it into both an art studio and a home for herself.
This viewpoint was reinforced in the eyes of at least some of the residents in June 2022. Ms Jones hired a solicitors firm to issue demands that 7 of the 26 dwellings be vacated by September 2022. The letters were all hand-delivered one morning by a group of large men dressed in black. The recipient residents called it blatant intimidation.
Two of the dwellings included residents who had bought their homes in the 1980s and have lived in Holtsfield for more than 30 years. They are both grandmothers now. One of the residents to receive a letter played a key role during the resistance in 1995, training other residents how to use direct action to save their homes. Two of the other dwellers were granted protected tenancies from the High court ruling in 1997. They have owned their wooden homes since the I970s. One had to call the Police after Elitestone sent men to break through a side wall of her home during lockdown. While she was away, they photographed her possessions and left her home open to the Winter elements. Another resident served with a letter has paid rent to Elitestone for 7 years, for a house with only a chemical toilet and no bathroom. The seventh dwelling contains an artist who had occupied a shed, and spent years converting it into both an art studio and a home for herself.
Holtsfield on BBC Country File 1995
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Holtsfield on Week in, Week Out 1997
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On September 13th 2022, a white truck with four large men arrived at 8am in Holtsfield. One clutched a clip board with a map of the dwellings. Dressed all in black, with body cameras strapped across their chests, the men knocked on doors demanding to know if named people still lived there. They eventually left, having scoped out each home, leaving residents now fearing possible evictions.
If Elitestone intend to remove people from their homes like they did in 1995, they will have to expect resistance. The residents under threat are now preparing for the next stage. As they await their day in court, some are finding ways to ensure they aren’t easily dragged out of Holtsfield They are utilising ‘lock-on’ points - barrels of concrete buried under their dwellings. An arm is placed down a tube and locked on to a metal bar. The technique has been used successfully for years in protests against the construction of the HS2 and the Fracking industry. It can take days and a lot of money to remove just one person from a lock on, and that is by experienced removal teams.
The media reporting on the legal conundrum may seek to draw insights from Wales Rugby captain Alun Wyn Jones OBE. His sister is Lowri Jones, director of Elitestone, so he maybe expected to comment on the saga. What the future now holds for Holtsfield is unclear. It is presumed that Elitestone has plans to possess the properties and then sell them off, making at least £1.5 million. However, it may turn out to be a convoluted and expensive legal battle, as some of the dwellers can claim adverse possession and could acquire legal ownership based on continuous occupation of the properties.
In July 2023 Elitestone issued 2 homes with solicitor letters demanding people leave.
Will Elitestone succeed in evicting people from their homes in 2023? Stay tuned.
Undercurrents filmmakers wrote an article for SQUALL magazine about Holtsfield in 1996.
Read more on the story here
If Elitestone intend to remove people from their homes like they did in 1995, they will have to expect resistance. The residents under threat are now preparing for the next stage. As they await their day in court, some are finding ways to ensure they aren’t easily dragged out of Holtsfield They are utilising ‘lock-on’ points - barrels of concrete buried under their dwellings. An arm is placed down a tube and locked on to a metal bar. The technique has been used successfully for years in protests against the construction of the HS2 and the Fracking industry. It can take days and a lot of money to remove just one person from a lock on, and that is by experienced removal teams.
The media reporting on the legal conundrum may seek to draw insights from Wales Rugby captain Alun Wyn Jones OBE. His sister is Lowri Jones, director of Elitestone, so he maybe expected to comment on the saga. What the future now holds for Holtsfield is unclear. It is presumed that Elitestone has plans to possess the properties and then sell them off, making at least £1.5 million. However, it may turn out to be a convoluted and expensive legal battle, as some of the dwellers can claim adverse possession and could acquire legal ownership based on continuous occupation of the properties.
In July 2023 Elitestone issued 2 homes with solicitor letters demanding people leave.
Will Elitestone succeed in evicting people from their homes in 2023? Stay tuned.
Undercurrents filmmakers wrote an article for SQUALL magazine about Holtsfield in 1996.
Read more on the story here
Holtsfield on The Slate 1995
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Holtsfield & John Peel 1995
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Resources and links to other timber build communities
Last Acre by Jacob Cartwright and Nick Jordan
https://aeon.co/videos/a-world-of-shacks-and-shanties-is-a-place-of-makeshift-beauty-on-englands-margins?
The Humberstone Fitties
https://youtu.be/SrC2eTib3oM
Judith Tucker's paintings of the 'Night Fitties' have been winning prizes. There is also an artists book with poems by Harriet Tarlo - Neverends
https://www.judithtuckerartist.com/paintings
Bob Stanley of St Etienne has written an elegant pop song about the Plotlands.
https://youtu.be/TSgW-L7d-0M
Carol Fenton has written a pulp fiction book 'Plotlands' which is well researched.
https://youtu.be/CoELiTy2qCA
Shannon Weeks 3 part doc on Jaywick, which seems to maintain a working class community spirit.
https://youtu.be/LeXlKGJhCAI
Rare found 8mm home movies from the 1960s Jaywick
https://youtu.be/IVOjid5NJVE
Hutters
https://hutters.uk
An amazing pool of 471 photos, which I hope will survive.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/plotlandsuk/pool/page3/
An article by Geoff Beacon re #plotlandsagain
http://archive.progressonline.org.uk/2017/02/24/the-return-of-plotlands-and-prefabs/
Bewdley plotlands, as featured in Jonathan Meades' classic "Severn Heaven", I have heard it is currently under threat from an unsympathetic land owner.
https://youtu.be/19yBeaTG2G4
Carbeth Hutters near the Campsie Fells in Scotland.
https://youtu.be/uBnxRlMDiiU
Old TV Documentary on Jaywick. Includes footage of the deadly 1953 flood. Shot by John Twining and Roger Bunting. Dir. David C Kenton 1970s?
https://youtu.be/sQ1LHzEHaNY
Books on Chalets
https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/stefanszczelkun
Severn Heaven
http://meadesshrine.blogspot.com/p/shrine.html
https://aeon.co/videos/a-world-of-shacks-and-shanties-is-a-place-of-makeshift-beauty-on-englands-margins?
The Humberstone Fitties
https://youtu.be/SrC2eTib3oM
Judith Tucker's paintings of the 'Night Fitties' have been winning prizes. There is also an artists book with poems by Harriet Tarlo - Neverends
https://www.judithtuckerartist.com/paintings
Bob Stanley of St Etienne has written an elegant pop song about the Plotlands.
https://youtu.be/TSgW-L7d-0M
Carol Fenton has written a pulp fiction book 'Plotlands' which is well researched.
https://youtu.be/CoELiTy2qCA
Shannon Weeks 3 part doc on Jaywick, which seems to maintain a working class community spirit.
https://youtu.be/LeXlKGJhCAI
Rare found 8mm home movies from the 1960s Jaywick
https://youtu.be/IVOjid5NJVE
Hutters
https://hutters.uk
An amazing pool of 471 photos, which I hope will survive.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/plotlandsuk/pool/page3/
An article by Geoff Beacon re #plotlandsagain
http://archive.progressonline.org.uk/2017/02/24/the-return-of-plotlands-and-prefabs/
Bewdley plotlands, as featured in Jonathan Meades' classic "Severn Heaven", I have heard it is currently under threat from an unsympathetic land owner.
https://youtu.be/19yBeaTG2G4
Carbeth Hutters near the Campsie Fells in Scotland.
https://youtu.be/uBnxRlMDiiU
Old TV Documentary on Jaywick. Includes footage of the deadly 1953 flood. Shot by John Twining and Roger Bunting. Dir. David C Kenton 1970s?
https://youtu.be/sQ1LHzEHaNY
Books on Chalets
https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/stefanszczelkun
Severn Heaven
http://meadesshrine.blogspot.com/p/shrine.html
HoltsField
Red Arrows fly over Holtsfield
Tim Jones, Elitestone in Holtsfield 2004