Farmers vowed last night to plough up arable land threatened with development.

Government are eyeing up a five-acre site at Frog Lane to put in a revamped Transport Control Department but farmers say it is good land wasted by the previous tenant.

A meeting of around 20 farmers last night unanimously agreed to send in tractors on Thursday to churn up the deserted overgrown scrub opposite the National Stadium.

Spokesman Tom Wadson said: “The message is that it is arable land. It doesn't look like it right now but come Thursday it will.

“We are trying to clean it up.”He said a similar plan had been hatched before Hurricane Fabian but was never followed through.

Farmers stressed it was a gesture of good faith rather than civil disobedience but they are angry with Government for not enforcing the lease which stipulated the tenant must care for the land.

The land was occupied by Gary Mello but The Royal Gazette understands that the lease has reverted to Government.

One former farmer told The Royal Gazette: “It's lousy farmland. Two acres are mediocre, the rest is lousy. In fact it's all lousy.

“Works and Engineering did work on it which added to its lousiness.

“The best thing would to put up a car park for the National Stadium, grass it over and put up some coconut trees. Or build some affordable housing.”

He said the site was sandy, with high alkaline content and too exposed.

“It would also be an ideal place for CedarBridge school field.”

However Mr. Wadson said the many Bermuda fields were sandy and that under the stewardship of Fabian Powell had been a goldmine for lettuce and green pepper.

Another farm worker told The Royal Gazette he had worked the field and found it to be very fertile.

The meeting also heard complaints that Greenwhich farm behind CedarBridge had been leased out by Government and allowed to become overgrown by Mexican Pepper.

Asked if the farmers would take similar action to reclaim it for agriculture Mr. Wadson said: “It's like a rain forest. You would need a logging crew.”

Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons, who attended the farmers meeting, said Government was in danger of setting a precedent by encroaching on zoned arable land.

“Government must lead by example, if they do it then everybody will do it.”

Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield did not return a call.