The waiting list for council allotments is now running at 40 years in some areas of the country, as reported in today's press.
The waiting list for council allotments is now running at 40 years in some areas of the country, as reported in today's press.
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The lack of allotments are a national scandal. Councils do have a duty to provide. In my area their are two groups putting pressure on the local council using all the usual means. It needs a celebrity behind it like battery chickens and school dinners. Councils lack of action and general prevaricating should be made public. Name and shame them! Speed bumps seem to be the only thing they ever claim credit for if recent elections are anything to go by.
By sallyann on 16 June 09 at 23:12 | Report misuse
Good news.
I have a meeting with my local MP on the 29th June.
The members of our group will have a chance to push the local parish council with help from the big guns at Westminster.
We will see how things go and i will post the news as it happens.
By ed3229 on 16 June 09 at 08:11 | Report misuse
Update to my last post...
I have spoken to the leader of my parish council.
They absolutely will not give any land to us and still stick to the 20 year building plan as a reason not to.
I live in a small Hampshire village and we residents do not want more housing.We are surrounded by 1000's of acre's of good land but unless you own a horse farmers are reluctant to let any to you.
I think my next move will be to email my MP and ask for help pushing the parish council.
By ed3229 on 12 June 09 at 13:25 | Report misuse
The growth in house building over the recent years pre 'credit crunch' meant councils sold alot of their available land to property developers hence the shortage of sites in towns. Hopefully they will soon begin to listen to folk who want to grow their own. To get a plot where i was i agreed to take on a half plot and i know that alot of allotments have been doing that as it means obviously twice as many folk can have some land.
By miffy on 11 June 09 at 17:45 | Report misuse
Thanks helpers2011 - that study is really interesting. For anyone else who is interested, you can see the report at:
http://www.transitiontownwestkirby.org.uk/files/ttwk_nsalg_survey_09.pdf
By jane on 11 June 09 at 11:55 | Report misuse
There's been another report this week on a study of allotment waiting lists in England.
Very briefly, the study looked at those sites managed by all the principal English councils, and had a response rate of 99%. It showed that on average, for every 100 established plots there are now 49 people on waiting lists. In the last major study in 1997 there were only 4 people waiting for every 100 plots in England.
In law councils have a statutory duty to provide sufficient allotments, yet this clearly is not happening. In response to questions and debates about this in Parliament, Ministers simply repeat that councils have a duty to assess need in their area and provide sufficient allotments where neccessary. They point out that the Government issues clear guidelines to this effect and that further Government input is therefore unnecessary.
The increase in demand for allotments reflects the rising interest in locally grown food, and healthy eating. Investment by Local Authorities and Central Government would support these aspirations and be consistent with supporting an economy in recession, offering a productive activity for the unemployed, supporting community cohesion and reducing carbon dioxide emissions through reduced food miles.
This study offers evidence to question the effectiveness of current Government policy and an opportunity to put allotments back on the agenda in Parliament.
I have written to my MP to ask him to do this.
By helpers2011 on 06 June 09 at 07:55 | Report misuse
I too have my name on the councils waiting list as well as the housing association list but have been advised its like waiting to win the lottery. I agree strongly with everyone there is so much land going to waist out there why cant the local councils do something for their community's? The landshare scheme is such a POSITIVE thing in peoples lives, in what is a miserable world at the moment, so come on councils give the community's something worthwhile back .
By mum2009 on 04 June 09 at 21:45 | Report misuse
i have put my name on the list for an allotment only to be told theres a six year waiting list,i always thought that council allotments were for people who lived in council properties that didnt have gardens e.g.maisonetts.
By tricia on 04 June 09 at 20:56 | Report misuse
If you do get an allotment or are told something like "Well the current lease holder (I assume they are on leases,) isn't doing anything with theirs, they just covered it in black plastic and left it, so we'll be taking it back! This happened to some friends of mine as the local person in charge didn't know anything about growing, and did not take into consideration that after 7 years of being fallow (not used) it was an overgrown jungle of mangled roots and they were slowing sorting out the problem organically. So please check that it really is a free allotment. Then when you get it - have a management plan written down. e.g. Year one: Bed 1 suppressed weeds with plastic sheeting over winter. Bed 2 grow through UV protected permeable memebrane.
Year 2 Bed 1 continue to leave plastic on until summer planting through membrane. Bed 2 Plant through membrane on section 1 and create raised beds on section 2. Suddenly after all this time there was a demand for the 2 allotments which had not been used for many years. My friends took their plans to the council meeting and kept their allotments, but with such demand be warned. TTFN
By oddbit on 04 June 09 at 17:00 | Report misuse
I thought that Councils were legally obliged to provide allotment land if enough people demanded it? Keep up the pressure - and could Channel 4 follow up on this issue?
Councils need to be embarrassed into action - they have sold off enough sites for development. What about planning gain being used to provide new community resources such as allotments and community farms?
By ladybirdathome on 04 June 09 at 08:41 | Report misuse
My wife and I have only been on the list for 6 years so looks like we have a long wait!
By hazard1yard on 03 June 09 at 22:09 | Report misuse
It is extremely frustrating to find that, as I have, that the local waiting list for allotments is running at 10 years or more. As I am already 64 it looks as though I shall be at least 74 before I get one if I am lucky. Why do local councils not provide more land for allotments when the demand is overwhelming ?
Jan.
By janlongworth on 03 June 09 at 21:23 | Report misuse
I am trying to start a allotment in my village but the parish council just flob me off with "we are waiting for the 20 year building plan to be finalised".What chance do we have if the local council won't back you.I have 17 family's in the village on my list and this is growing every week.
By ed3229 on 03 June 09 at 16:41 | Report misuse