Town Allotments Under Threat.

"Northants Greens propose 8-point plan to safeguard Allotments."

Northants Green Party responded to reports of the failure of NBC to improve take up of Allotments with an eight-point plan for improvement. "With increasing pressure from central Government to meet the unsustainable demand for housing, allotment sites may be under threat. Certainly, pressure is building to encourage novel use of allotment sites where high rates of uptake are not maintained", commented Christine McGarry, Food And Farming Spokesperson.

"Greens would safeguard allotment sites through designation as statutorily protected sites where possible, or as non-statutory wildlife sites because of the habitat", she added.

Eight point plan

To research the quality of allotment sites, including a measure of biodiversity on each site,

To determine, protect, maintain and, where practicable, expand populations of the species characteristic of allotments,

To promote sustainability/lifestyle choices that can have a beneficial effect on allotment habitats and/or associated species,

Encourage a minimum of 0.3ha of actively managed allotment space within 500m walking distance, for every 1,000 population throughout urban Northampton,

Promote novel/community/green use of allotment sites where large numbers of plots remain vacant,

Seek to diversify allotment usage to safeguard sites,

Take up funding opportunities to extend & encourage community use,

To actively involve individuals, local communities, landowners and businesses wherever possible to enhance wildlife.

The Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee's report 'The Future for Allotments' supports the health benefits, recognise that the demand for allotments is set to increase, and supports urgent action to protect existing allotment sites.

Christine McGarry pointed out the paucity of the Council's vision demonstrates how desperately the town needs Green Councillors before it becomes a sterile environment. "We oppose any building on allotments as a betrayal of the people of Northampton and question how Harlestone road site and Kings Heath site have remained without tenants for as far back as 1995. We oppose the building of supermarkets on any allotment site".