Work starts to provide new growing spaces

Two disused allotment sites will be getting a make-over this spring as work starts to bring them back into use as part of a Community Landshare Scheme.

The first two sites to be delivered as part of this scheme will be at Lower Swarthmore in Central Park and on land at the back of Channel Park Avenue in Efford. These sites will provide around 50 new growing plots. Both of these sites have in the past been used as allotments and this project will bring them back into use as food growing spaces.

In May 2014 the Council’s Cabinet set out 50 new pledges to improve life in the city. One of these pledges was to encourage the use of unused land around the city to grow crops fruit and vegetables via a new land share.

The two sites have been cleared of all overgrowth ahead of the bird breeding season. The sites will be designed with the community members who will have a plot on the site so that they take ownership of the management of the site from the very beginning. Further consultation on the design of the sites will take place in April.

Councillor Brian Vincent, Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “We are passionate about making sure Plymouth has enough green space to encourage people to get out and enjoy it.

“We pledged last year that we would create more growing spaces and I'm delighted that by clearing these unloved and unused areas of land that had become completely overgrown, we will be able to create new plots for people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

"We think it is important that people have somewhere to grow fruit and vegetables and to enjoy gentle exercise outside."