Allotment land in decline
AG allotmenteer Lesley Upton writes about the falling numbers of allotment spaces despite a surge in demand
ALLOTMENT land has declined by 65% from its peak between the 1940s and 1960s to 2016, according to a study by the Institute for Sustainable Food at the University of Sheffield.
The most deprived urban areas have seen the biggest cuts in food-growing space, with eight times more allotment closures than the wealthiest areas.
Research shows that 47% of the land once used as allotments has now been built on and 25% is other forms of urban green space.
Academics analysed historic maps of Bristol, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton and Swansea from the early 1900s to 2016.
The study, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning, found that the lost land could have grown an average of 2,500 tonnes of food per year in each city.
Boost growing space in deprived areas
Miriam Dobson, PhD researcher at the University of Sheffield and lead author of the study, says: “With waiting lists growing ever longer, this trend of declining allotment land is worrying. One way councils could meet demand is by simply restoring former sites.
“Growing our own fruit and veg has huge benefits for people’s health and wellbeing, and can contribute to local food security as well as improving our environment.
“Our findings strengthen the case for preserving existing plots and boosting growing space, particularly in deprived areas, to share those benefits more fairly across our cities.”
Under Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, councils have a duty to provide a sufficient number of allotments if there is demand for allotments in their borough, urban district or parish.
They are also required to let such allotments to residents who wish to take on an allotment. If six or more residents make written representations to the council for the provision of allotments, the council is then obliged to take this into account when deciding whether there are a sufficient number of allotments available.
However, the council is not obliged to make the allotments available within a specific time frame. Section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 states that where a local authority has land for use as allotments, the local authority shall not sell, appropriate, use or dispose of the land for any purpose other than use for allotments without the consent of the Secretary of State.
What is your personal experience of allotment growing? Is one available or are you on a waiting list? Email ruth.hayes@ti-media.com.
“The declining of allotment land is worrying”