We understand that recent coverage of the Sycamore Gap story has raised public interest in the tenancy at Plankey Mill Farm. We want to offer clarity on our role.

Jesuits in Britain is a registered charity working in education, pastoral care, and social justice across the country. As such, we are legally required under charity law to manage property responsibly, in ways that support our charitable mission and serve the wider community.

Although Mr Renwick did not meet the legal criteria to inherit the tenancy when his father stepped down in 2008, we offered him a new 10-year lease, which we extended twice. This was done in good faith, and he was able to remain on the site for nearly 15 years.

The difficult decision to end Mr Renwick’s tenancy was not taken lightly. It followed many attempts over several years to resolve serious and ongoing breaches of his tenancy agreement, including damage to the farmhouse, repeated refusal to allow necessary inspections, and permitting illegal camping on the land. These were not isolated incidents, and we tried repeatedly to resolve matters in a spirit of dialogue and goodwill. Formal proceedings only began in 2021 once all other avenues had been exhausted.

We gave Mr Renwick multiple opportunities to discuss alternative arrangements and made every effort to support him, even after he failed to vacate the property when the tenancy ended. Our involvement with the police was limited to ensuring the eviction process was peaceful.

This has been a difficult and sad situation. Throughout, we have sought to act with compassion and integrity, and we sincerely wish Mr Renwick well as he moves forward.