Home << Back

Report seeks increase in allotment space - September 2009

A report by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) is calling on local councils and the government to make better use of large areas of underused brownfield land in order to expand the number of community allotments in the country.  Landowners should be offered tax incentives by the government to release underused parts of their land for allotment space says the report.

The NLGN argues that over 100,000 people are waiting for an allotment, with an estimated 3500 hectares of brownfield land unused that may be suitable for community allotment space.

NLGN director Chris Leslie said: "It is well documented that allotments can help to keep people fit, encourage healthy eating, reduce carbon footprints and save money on food bills, so it's a tragedy that more than 100,000 people are waiting to be provided with a plot of land. Our reforms would see much more unused and unfunctional brownfield land developed into a much more picturesque landscape of working allotments."