Save our allotments

As a researcher of urban agriculture and strong supporter of allotments, I am dismayed to learn that in the Government's review of regulatory ‘burdens’ there is a proposal to remove the requirement on allotment authorities to provide a sufficient number of allotments for an area, as set out in section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908.  

DCLG has not consulted with the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners about removing this requirement, as it should have done http://www.nsalg.org.uk/.

This requirement should not be removed. It has played an important part in maintaining a viable allotment movement enabling hundreds of thousands of people to benefit from home-grown produce.  It has been a valuable safeguard against local authorities trying to sell off allotment land as happens only too often.

At a time when allotments are in high demand and even people like the Mayor of London are promoting local food production it is even less desirable this provision should be removed.  

In fact this provision should be tightened so that authorities do not try to avoid their obligations to provide allotments.  

Take action now.  It's not too late to contact your MP and tell them to get this proposal dropped.  

last time modified: Nov. 23, 2011, 5:37 p.m.