Government response to a petition on protecting allotment sites
Response to a petition concerning the protection of allotment sites.
In response to a petition on allotments, Minister for Communities Stephen Williams said:
This government actively supports allotments and since 2010 the total amount of allotment provision has actually increased. Where we have consented to the disposal of allotments, alternative plots have been provided. Surveys too by the National Allotment Society show that over 2,000 new allotment places have been created in last few years, and allotment waiting times have fallen.
In January 2014, the department published allotment disposal guidance: safeguards and alternatives replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council’s waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal.
The government has introduced a range of measures to help communities who want land to grow fruit and vegetables. Through new community rights, local residents have increased opportunities to protect existing allotments from development and increase provision of green spaces. For example, in Thame, in Oxfordshire, their new neighbourhood plan will create an additional hectare of allotment land. Allotments have also been listed as assets of community value.
As part of our commitment to supporting local community groups, the department has also published a best practice guide for community groups wanting to find land to grow fruit and vegetables and an additional guide on establishing community orchards and other spaces for food growing.