May 5, was the beginning of the week long planned occupation where a sustainable eco-village with, gardens for growing food, yurts for kitchen and living spaces, compost toilets and roundhouse as a communal space were to be built. All of this following Agenda 21 that was set at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. All of this was to attract the media who would spread the land issues that we were raising to a wider audience.

Being early May there were plenty of activists floating about, with all of the on route evictions completed on the Newbury by-pass, and the Rainbow Centre cleaned out a few months before. In a convoy of coaches, tat lorries, living vehicles, cars and bikes we all set off from Hammersmith into the unknown. One coach was virtually full of eager media peoples all thinking they've got the prime scoop. Upon arrival, a few of them slipped into the director's chair and tried unsuccessfully to give orders as if it was a soap opera. They had to be reminded that it was really happening! Within the first week a lot had been achieved, more than expected. The media loved it, the locals loved it, everybody loved it. Except of course the land owners Guinness and the Wandsworth Council. Situated in the heart of Tory territory, the eco-village was used as a slander match between the Tories and Labour councillors. Using it as a prop for their wider issues in their little games of power. The local community were generally supportive, and glad to see the land being used productively. Their support and involvement probably enabled us to stay the time we did. Guinness and the Wandsworth Council wanted us off from day 1. They didn't really need this sort of publicity on their doorstep. A much needed green space was provided for the locals to get actively involved. Kids being kids, couldn't keep away. The inquisitiveness drew them like a magnet. gradually their parents would dawdle over to investigate where their kids are spending so much time. And to satisfy their own curiosity, I'm sure.

Summer holidays fast approached and the thought of the local kids from the battle-zones of the estates, terrorising the village became a reality. It was easy pickings for the thieves that swarmed us all summer. After a lot of compromising , people being banned, and finally violent clashes, the thieving became minor.

The makings of a mish mash community was in motion. Gardens lush with fresh vegetables appeared randomly across the site. The roundhouse stood grand with the kitchen always nearby, as a focal point of the site. Weekly meetings were held here to try and sort out, mainly domestic, issues arising on site. A lot of positive resolutions came of these as did insults, threats of violence until total disruption beyond any chance of continuing.

The kitchen was forever buzzing with vegetables being chopped , boxes of organic produce being dropped off from the local wholesalers. The fire was constantly dancing with the regular kettlewatchers sorting out the world's problem on their arses. For odd reasons the kitchen was constantly being altered, relocated until finally being dismantled and a more permanent wooden structure was built over a weekend.

Dwellings constructed of all materials imaginable had sprung up out of nowhere. Some possibly even landing from above. Physically there was a village community catering for the basic needs of the people within. Obviously the heart of the community being the people which consisted of all walks of life.

The village could have been a condensed reflection of this consumerism society that we live. There were a lot of problems which were compassionately taken on board. There were times when the atmosphere was really calm and chilled out. Like a small festival in motion. Other times it was total mayhem with violence and drug abuse thriving. The space was there, as a gift from the gods in this urban jungle. People will perceive it how they want to, as we all live in our own reality. and Living vehicles pulled on and off constantly until a limit was set. I don't think there was ever a figure put on the limit. It was a case of pulling on and if a vehicle had recently pulled off then there must have been space. No-one was turned away and everybody was given the opportunity to involve themselves and be a part of the community. At one stage in the height of summer it was like a camping ground. People opting for a bit of fun, adventure or lazy days to escape from the tedious domestic life.

Every month or so there was an eviction scare, a tip-off from a source. Usually unknown. On one occasion it was the practical joke of a local kid ringing up saying that the troops were on their way to evict. People swallowed it and went into full panic stations. No questions were asked, not even as to who the caller was. It was all very entertaining to witness. Shortly afterwards all would be forgotten and people got on with what whatever they were doing. The threat of eviction loomed over our heads for nearly 3 months. The owners finally getting their full possession order from the High Court in early August. This didn't seem to deter people from getting on with their living, contributing here and there to the community. The security of our existence there was created by those who wanted to believe it to be. There was always from day 1, the one who would say ,'But you're going to be evicted anyway'. Attached to this was an attitude that would hinder people from trying to make things happen. This is true to an extent, an eviction is imminent. Time is always there and its precious. The more we could establish ourselves and gain positive recognition and support from the local community the greater our chances of staying longer. This was a viewpoint adopted by many.

For whatever reasons the sheriff decided to evict, I`II probably never know. The signs were telling and in your face to see. For whatever we were trying to achieve on site it probably never looked that way towards the end of summer. Our local Support was dwindling and complaints ar ising. The local kids became extinct on site, parents worried about their safety among the violence and drug abuse.

Concrete tip-offs were flustering in from all sources. Instinctively I knew that this was the one. It all seemed plausible at that moment. It was a short lived dream that was swamped with the problems that society won't deal with or fail to recognise. This burden became too great and the final straw was placed to break the camel's back.

Guinness with all their cronies had planned a finely executed invasion from all directions. Evicting everyone in a few hours and by the end of the day they had transformed a thriving community , surrounded by lush wildlife, into churned up soil and mounds of debris where the houses and other structures once stood. Later this was turned into sawdust until not even a blade of grass existed. An alarmed fence was erected complete with razor wire to simulate a prison camp.

Living there, I don't really know what kind of an impact it had on people, our initial aim was to highlight the failure of the current planning system and the effect that has on peoples access to common land and their exclusion from the decision making in the planning process. For all it's madness, the village infested itself into people's own dreams. People were healed and healing others. It was like a huge adventure playground for little and big kids, with no rules. A place where people could be and allowed to have fun.