Allotments
Benefits | Policy Areas | Legislation | Other Work | Useful Links
Introduction
Allotments of some sort have been in existence since at least the middle ages where landowners bequeathed plots to be cultivated by poor countrymen. The enclosures of common land (at its height in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries) saw plots allotted to cottagers and labourers to compensate for the loss of common land usage.
The two World Wars saw an increase in allotment cultivation as importing food became more difficult due to hostilities. The period after the Second World War saw a decline in allotments due to increased availability of convenience foods and the association of home growing with wartime rationing. Towards the latter half of the twentieth century, due to environmental concerns, there has been an increased interest in allotment cultivation.
The range of plot-holders has broadened over recent years. More people under 50 years old are now plot-holders and the proportion of women plot-holders is increasing. The Local Government Association has predicted that there will be an increased demand for allotment provision in future years.
Allotments can be used in different ways. Traditionally, a single person or family used a plot. However, over the last few years groups of people have gardened a plot. This can be, for example, a youth or other community group.
Benefits
Leisure or cultural services departments usually run local authority allotments. Their link to food and healthy eating is obvious but they also provide a means for cross departmental working. Some of the more common benefits are:- Fresh, often organic, fruit and vegetables. Although plot holders do not always cultivate for cheaper food, many do.
- Allotments provide physical exercise.
- Recycling can be encouraged for example through composting.
- Green spaces are preserved, especially in urban areas.
- General increase in biodiversity.
- Allotments can be integrated into local public health strategies.
- Educational, in particular where an allotment plot is run with local children· Various mental health benefits.
- Provides a garden to flat dwellers.
Policy Areas
Sustainability
Many local authorities link allotments to Local Agenda 21 (LA 21) initiatives. This has drawn support from central government and Parliament as well from LA 21 campaigners. The Local Government Association has recognised the value of encouraging the linkage between the two and sees possibilities to form new partnerships between allotment groups and members of the environmental health, teaching, and health visitor professionals.Education
There is opportunity to link allotments with both children and adult education. Many schemes have been initiated where authorities work with schools to encourage children to take an active interest in growing food. The benefits include children developing a better understanding of where food comes from and an understanding of the environment.Social inclusion
Major areas where allotments have linked to social inclusion are through involvement of ethnic minority communities, mental health and disability issues. Schemes run with ethnic minority groups have centred around growing specific culturally defined crops as well as meeting community needs. Allotments can provide a setting for those with mental health problems and physical disabilities to interact, achieve and succeed together with providing fresh nutritious and local food.Well Being
Allotments can improve well being by providing cheap good food, healthy outdoor exercise and social interaction. The benefits of growing food can be linked to other areas such as biodiversity and community cohesion.Legislation
The legislation relating to allotments is quite complex. The areas that are likely to be of most interest to local authorities are summarised here:Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908
Consolidated all previous legislation and laid down basis for all subsequent legislation.Placed duty on local authorities to provide sufficient allotments, according to demand. Also makes provision for local authorities to purchase compulsorily land to provide allotments. Established the framework for the modern allotments system.
Land Settlement Facilities Act 1919
This Act was mainly to assist returning servicemen and opened up allotments to all, not just 'the labouring population'. Made metropolitan borough councils allotment authorities for the first time.Allotments Act 1922
This Act was established to provide allotment tenants with some security of tenure. It also provided tenants with greater compensation at the termination of their tenancy and limited the size of an allotment to one-quarter of an acre, specifying that it should be used mostly for growing fruit and vegetables.Allotments Act 1925
Required local authorities to recognise the need for allotments in any town planning development. Established 'statutory' allotments which a local authority could not sell or convert to other purposes without Ministerial consent. This Act was intended to facilitate the acquisition and maintenance of allotments, and to make further provision for the security of tenure for tenants.Allotments Act 1950
This included:- Amendment of the provisions relating to rents that may be charged for allotments;
- Extension of period of notice to quit to 12 months for allotment gardens;
- Compensation payable to plot holder at whatever season of the year a tenancy terminates;
- Making plot holders who have allowed their plot to deteriorate through neglect liable to pay compensation on quitting; and
- Allowance of certain forms of livestock (hens and rabbits) to be kept although this can be, in some cases, restricted by local by-laws.
Other legislation
The Local Government Act 1972 amended the allotments legislation in a number of matters of detail, for example, removing the requirement upon local authorities to establish allotments committees (contained in Section 12 of the Allotments Act 1925).Other Acts which have impacted upon allotments include the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
Work by other Local Authorities on developing Allotment Initiatives
For an idea on what others are doing Food Vision has a number of case studies outlining projects which involve growing food.
Go to: http://www.foodvision.gov.uk/pages/growing-food
Cambridgeshire County Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan contains a section on allotments. It gives a brief outline of the history of allotments and identifies how their current and future use contributes to local sustainability priorities.
Useful links
The Local Government Association (LGA) has recently republished it allotments guide Growing in the Community. It is aimed at those responsible for managing local authority and other allotments. This guide is based upon extensive research into good practice in the management of allotments in England and Wales and is used by many local authorities. Details of how to order this publication can be found on the LGA website (March 2008).
The guide provides a clear picture of the current issues for allotment officers, the links to wider local authority strategies and the opportunities that allotments provide for authorities and local communities. The revision will take account of developments in policy and current agendas on greener issues, sustainable lifestyles, well being and community cohesion, by providing:
- A comprehensive overview of the current legislative and policy framework
- An updating of the context within which allotments are now managed, taking account of recent issues, developments and practice
- Recent good practice examples
The revision was undertaken by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and Dr Richard Wiltshire of Kings College, London.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has published Allotments: a plot holders’ guide: http://www.communities.gov.uk It is aimed at anyone who rents, or is thinking of renting an allotment plot. There are many useful contacts listed.
The Quality Environment for Dartford (QED) have a web site for allotment associations or community gardens involved in a Local Agenda 21 initiative anywhere in the UK http://www.btinternet.com/~richard.wiltshire/potshed1.htm The site is primarily provides further links to local allotment group websites around the country. In December 1998 a "Brief for the Local Government Association on ‘Allotments in Local Agenda 21’" was prepared by QED. http://www.btinternet.com/~richard.wiltshire/lga3.htm It expands on how allotments fit into LA21 activity.
The Allotments Regeneration Initiative (ARI) is a partnership between several organisations interested in promoting allotment cultivation. It has lots of very useful publications on its website. http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari/
The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) is a UK organisation and represents groups involved in community led projects to develop open space through locally managed farming and gardening. The website http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ provides links to websites of FCFCG member projects.
The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) aims to build co-operation between agriculturists and the organisation of smallholdings and allotments. The site gives advice to gardeners and encourages the creation of gardening associations. http://www.nsalg.org.uk/
Thrive is a national horticultural charity that exists to enable disadvantaged, disabled and older people to participate fully in the social and economic life of the community. Thrive has had over 23 years experience of how gardening can be used to help vulnerable members of society increase their quality of life. http://www.thrive.org.uk/index.html
Allotments UK has a directory listing many allotment web sites. http://www.allotments-uk.com/ These include sites providing specific practical advice on gardening an allotment and links to some local allotment associations.
Garden Organic is the new name for the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/ It is dedicated to researching and promoting organic gardening, farming and food. Their website provides educational materials on organic issues, a network for school organic gardens and outlines practical and topical information on organic gardening.