CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- Although this Report focuses primarily upon
allotment provision in England, we recommend that the relevant
Departments with responsibility for allotments in Scotland, Wales
and Northern Ireland should study the Report and consider acting
upon our recommendations. (Paragraph 5)
THE
VALUE OF ALLOTMENTS
- We believe that allotments will often form
a component part of healthy neighbourhoods. Given the undisputed
health benefits of allotments, we strongly recommend that allotment
provision be explicitly noted in national public health strategy
and be integrated into the local delivery of that strategy, particularly
for the over 50s age-group which traditionally dominates the profile
of allotment holders. (Paragraph 13)
- We recommend that health authorities recognise
and exploit the therapeutic potential of allotments for people
with mental or physical health problems. (Paragraph 15)
LEGISLATION
- We believe there is a need for urgent action
to protect existing allotment sites. In the short term, specific
modifications to advice and procedures relating to allotment provision
are required and these are detailed throughout the Report. Many
of these changes are comparatively simple but the sum total will
ensure a fairer and clearer system for all concerned. (Paragraph
28)
- For the long term protection of allotments,
we believe that allotments legislation must be overhauled. We
conclude that the Government should issue a Green Paper as soon
as is practicable and commission a research study to consult with
the various interested parties and develop a consolidating piece
of legislation which simplifies, updates and enhances existing
allotments legislation. The Government should aim to introduce
the resulting Bill within the lifetime of this Parliament. (Paragraph
29)
- We recommend that the main restrictions on
the use of allotments contained in national legislation should
be repealed. In particular, decisions over:
- the uses to which plots may be put, particularly
with regard to flower growing;
- commercial use with regard to site shops and
the sale of surplus produce; and
- the keeping of livestock
- should be made on a site-by-site basis by the
local authority or allotment society. We urge that care should
be taken when relaxing restrictions so that the essential character
of a site is maintained. (Paragraph 32)
DEMAND
FOR ALLOTMENTS
- Witnesses have told us that the demand for
allotments is set to increase and this assumption underscores
the recommendations made in this Report. (Paragraph 36)
Local Issues
- From the evidence we received, it is apparent
that the performance of local authorities with regard to allotment
provision is best described as patchy. Some authorities pursue
an active approach to maintaining vibrant and fully-occupied allotment
sites whilst others appear at best lethargic and at worst to be
instrumental in encouraging the decline of interest in allotments.
Without a positive local approach, it seems likely that much of
the demand for allotments will always remain latent. (Paragraph
40)
PROVISION
OF ALLOTMENTS
Dealing with the Threat to Local Authority Sites
- We note that allotments form an important
part of leisure provision and this should be reflected within
a local authority's Leisure Strategy and Local Agenda 21 initiatives.
(Paragraph 56)
- We also recommend that local authorities should
publish annually the details of their existing allotments provision.
Year-on-year publication of these statistics would enable closer
monitoring of allotment provision and ensure that local authorities
remain accountable for any change of policy. In line with the
drive to maintain existing levels of allotment provision, any
decline should be accompanied by a full explanation. We are encouraged
that the Local Government Association welcomed such an approach.
(Paragraph 57)
Dealing with the Threat to Private Sites
- We welcome the contribution made by private
sites to overall allotment provision and recognise that providing
allotments is essentially a charitable activity for private firms.
However, we urge owners of private sites to re-examine their policies
towards allotment provision and, where appropriate, to adopt a
long-term and positive approach. (Paragraph 61)
Planning Issues and Guidance
- We believe that the planning guidance with
regard to allotments should be made much more explicit, particularly
since allotment land is the principal category of urban green
space which is being eroded. We urge that fuller and better guidance
on the role of allotments be incorporated into the current revision
of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (Housing). In particular, we
recommend that PPG3 includes specific advice that 'statutory'
allotment sites should be clearly designated within Unitary Development
Plans and Local Plans. 'Temporary' sites should be marked with
their final intended use along with an approximate date for the
change of use. (Paragraph 64)
- We strongly recommend that the Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions press ahead with
the revision of Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 (Sport and Recreation)
and incorporate specific guidance on the role of allotments. (Paragraph
65)
PROTECTION
OF ALLOTMENTS
Designation of Sites
- There is widespread uncertainty about the
status of many allotment sites. We strongly recommend that all
local authorities make clear the designations of their sites.
With the exception of those sites which are ultimately intended
for use as cemeteries, we recommend that any 'temporary' site
which has been in continuous use as allotments for thirty years
or more be automatically redesignated as 'statutory', subject
to an appeal by the local authority to the Secretary of State.
For the remaining 'temporary' sites, the authority should provide
details of the final use intended for the land along with some
indication of the likely date for the change of use. The Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State indicated that the Government would be
happy to issue guidance to local authorities on distinguishing
between 'temporary' and 'statutory' sites and we urge the Government
to do this immediately. (Paragraph 72)
Effectiveness of Statutory Protection
- We recommend that the Government look urgently
at the continuing loss of allotment land, particularly in light
of the anticipated future increase in demand for allotments. (Paragraph
75)
Improving the Process: Local Procedures
- The current process for the sale of a 'statutory'
site is highly complicated and this works against the interests
of allotment holders. We recommend that the procedures at local
authority level with regard to the sale of allotment sites be
overhauled. The process should be an open and inclusive one, particularly
with regard to the information made available to allotment holders.
Allotment authorities should consult with plot-holders before
applying to the Secretary of State for permission to change the
use of a site. This consultation should include discussions about
providing an alternative site. To ensure that demand for allotments
is being accurately represented, documents such as waiting lists
and applications for allotments should be made publicly accessible.
(Paragraph 83)
- Replacement sites have been provided in only
two of the 51 'statutory' sites lost since 7 May 1997. Given the
inevitable and progressive loss of private and 'temporary' allotment
sites, such a low replacement rate is alarming and unacceptable.
Within the context of other measures to encourage greater demand
for allotments generally, we recommend that every endeavour should
be made to provide a replacement site. The alternative site should
be:
- of similar size and quality;
- within reasonable walking distance from existing
plot-holders' houses; and
- given 'statutory' protection.
Where no suitable replacement site can be offered,
we recommend that a significant proportion of the proceeds from
the sale of the original site be used to provide improvements
to other allotment sites within the authority's area. (Paragraph
84)
Improving the Process: Central Government Procedures
- In line with ensuring better information about
the proposed sale of sites, we recommend that it be made a formal
obligation upon the Department of the Environment, Transport and
the Regions to inform the National Society of Allotment and Leisure
Gardeners of all applications to sell 'statutory' sites. (Paragraph
85)
- We recommend that the Secretary of State should
ensure that a local authority has met certain basic requirements
of an active allotments policy before approving the sale of a
'statutory' site. Specifically, a local authority should have
in place a designated allotments officer; should seek to provide
water and appropriate fencing at all allotment sites; and should
have a basic programme for encouraging demand for allotments including
simple advertising of vacant plots in the local media and an information
board at each site displaying whether plots are available along
with details of whom to contact. (Paragraph 87)
- Section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925 specifically
places responsibility for consent to the sale of 'statutory' sites
at Ministerial level. In the light of this, we consider it unacceptable
that the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
has not referred matters of such importance to the Minister. We
recommend that all applications which attract objections should
be called in for examination by the Minister responsible. (Paragraph
89)
BEST
PRACTICE IN ALLOTMENT MANAGEMENT
- We were surprised and disappointed to hear
from Councillor Whitmore of the Local Government Association that
"in my years in local government and in the Association of
Metropolitan Authorities I do not remember us ever discussing
at a national level the issue of allotments at all." Many
aspects of allotment provision are rightly the subject of local
decisions and it is the role of the Local Government Association
to assist individual local authorities with such matters. The
patchy performance of local authorities with regard to allotment
policy must be remedied. (Paragraph 93)
- We recommend that a Best Practice regime for
allotments be drawn up and implemented by local authorities and
their umbrella organisations, in conjunction with the Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. (Paragraph 94)
Self-Management
- We believe that self-management fulfills the
twin aims of ensuring greater control of a site by allotment holders
and also reducing a local authority's administrative responsibilities.
We recommend that all local authorities examine the potential
for self-management of their allotment sites. (Paragraph 106)
- We recommend that the Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions should draw up an appropriate model
agreement that can be used by local authorities formally to devolve
responsibilities to allotment societies. In particular, this should
make provision for a local authority to take back control of a
site in exceptional circumstances. (Paragraph 107)
Gardening Media
- We believe that the gardening media could
play an important role in promoting allotments, particularly ensuring
the widespread adoption of Best Practice. We urge all media companies
to explore the scope for integrating allotment issues into their
magazines and programmes. (Paragraph 109)
ROLE
OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
- We were disappointed to be told by the Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State that allotments are essentially a local
issue. We believe that the provision of allotments is a national
issue. While the particular rate of provision should be decided
locally, it is important for Government to recognise its own role
in promoting allotments. (Paragraph 110)
- We recommend that the Government makes clear
the role it sees for allotments in the future and sets about offering
improved guidance and greater encouragement to local government.
(Paragraph 112)
- We recommend that the Government should collate
the information on allotment provision held at local authority
level and use this to develop and maintain a database on allotment
provision. In this way, the overall national trend in provision
can be determined and the effectiveness of measures to encourage
continued allotment provision can be assessed. (Paragraph 113)
THE
FUTURE FOR ALLOTMENTS
- Our recommendations include changes in legislation,
policy and practice. We consider that the force of these measures
will be lost if a piecemeal approach is adopted to their implementation.
Only if the recommendations are introduced as a package will the
Future for Allotments be assured. (Paragraph 116)
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