Although the Localism Act 2011 gives communities the opportunity to influence local planning and development, it can also be the point at which allotment sites are identified as having potential as housing land and the Society would like to encourage allotment communities to be vigilant and monitor Local Planning.
Brighton and Hove City Council recently commissioned consultants to conduct an assessment of the City's Urban Fringe Sites for their suitability for housing. As a result of this two allotment sites are potentially under threat; parts of Craven Vale and Mile Oak have been listed as having 'potential for housing'. The plot-holders are campaigning to prevent this and their petition can be accessed at this link http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-craven-vale-brighton-allotments
East Dorset and Christchurch Core Strategy identifies two sites for re-location to make way for housing, including Green Flag Award winning site Roeshot Hill- despite the majority of of respondents to the council's public consultation wishing to see the site retained within the housing development for the benefit of the local community.
Although the Bristol Local Plan identifies 3 former allotments as being allocated for housing this is balanced by the fact that allotments are classified in the document as Important Open Space and requires new residential development over a certain size to provide statutory allotment provision. The current Local Plan consultation by Barnsley Council (open until 21 December 2014) has a table of essential services that includes Public Open Space but excludes allotments from that category.
Earlier this year the DCLG published clear Allotment Disposal Guidelines, which, along with clarifying statutory criteria and policy guidelines, advises councils that they should consider allotments as valuable community assets that can be treated as important supporting infrastructure. The Society would also like to see councils appreciating the Heritage and social and cultural value of their allotment sites and begin to work them into their development plans, instead of perceiving them as something that needs to be moved out of the way.
In October 2014 the government issued new guidance to councils on prioritising the development of brownfield sites and the use of Local Plans to safeguard their area against urban sprawl, protecting the green lungs around towns and cities; this also includes protecting Local Green Space - areas that are of particular importance to a community such as parks, nature reserves and allotments.
Please let the Society know via your Regional Representative if you discover plans to dispose of or re-locate sites in your Local Plan.
