Allotments under threat?

From the Independent:

Government paves way for sale of country's 300,000 allotments as plot-holders revolt over plan to scrap historic right to council land

By Jane Merrick and Mark Jewsbury

Sunday, 1 May 2011

JUSTIN SUTCLIFFE

Ian White and his daughters Roberta and Nico at the Honor Oak Park Allotments

The century-old right of people to demand an allotment from their council may be abolished by the Government under plans to scale back red tape, it emerged yesterday.

Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, is examining plans to free local authorities from a 103-year-old obligation to provide plots of public land for cultivation by gardeners. The proposals could see local authorities, many of them strapped for cash under government-imposed cuts, selling off allotment land for social housing or even for profit to major companies.

The move has triggered a wave of protest from allotment society members and gardeners, who have lobbied Mr Pickles to rethink the plan

Allot of waiting - Transition Group national survey on Allotments

The Current waiting list in Deal as about 80 or two years. Deal With It supports the expansion of affordable allotments but we are also looking at other solutions to get people on the land. Have a look at our Garden Share Scheme

From Transition Culture Website

Ian and Margaret Campbell of Transition Town West Kirby recently researched and published, together with the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG), a report called ‘Allotment Waiting Lists in England 2010′.

The report, which you can download in full here, is an up-to-date detailed look at what is happening in terms of allotment provision. They found that waiting lists have grown 20% just in the last year, and that in some parts of the UK, some people will need to wait as much as 40 years for an allotment, but the average wait is 3 years.

They estimate that nationally, 180,000 people are waiting for allotments, and that while Councils have a statutory duty to provide allotments, most are failing to do so.

Publication of the report generated a lot of press coverage, including this piece in the Telegraph, and pieces in the Sun, Mirror (see top left) and the Express. A fantastic piece of work, and great to see Transition initiatives getting this kind of coverage.

Full report is here

National demand for Allotments rise by 20% in a year

In the last year the demand for allotments has increased.  The average waiting list is now 59 people per 100 plots. That’s gone up by 20% in just one year - That is nearly 100,000 nationally.

It’s pretty obvious that local councils are failing in their legal duty to provide sufficient allotments.The tighter economic climate, the steep rise in food prices and the shift in awareness of the importance of producing food 'yourself' makes the case for more allotments and community gardens even more urgent.

The national survey done by Transition Town West Kirby was based on 'Freedom of Information' requests to every main district council. In  East Kent both Canterbury and Thanet managed to answer. Dover DC and Shepway just replied that was the responsibility of the Town and Parish Councils - which is true but demonstrates the lack of imagination in the stewardship of public space in the district.

Deal With It will be approaching all the Parish and Town Councils in the Dover District Council area to fill this information gap.

Canterbury City reported  14 sites with 730 plots and closed waiting list of 720 !

Thanet reported 12 sites with 929 plots and a waiting list of 430.

Bob Russell, MP for Colchester, has put down an early day motion (EDM 687) stating:-
"That this House welcomes the big increase in home-grown vegetables, with seed sales up 14 per cent last year; is pleased that the number of people wanting an allotment has increased by 20 per cent in the past 12 months; is concerned that according to the National Society for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners there are 100,000 people on waiting lists for an allotment; and calls on the Government, local authorities, other public bodies and private landlords to make land available for new allotments."