Start an allotmentAllotments under threat

Despite the upsurge in demand for allotments, many are still under threat. In some parts of the country, vacant and neglected plots are easy targets for developers or cash-strapped local councils.

If your local allotment site is threatened, involve local councillors and your MP

The good news is that in many cases a determined stand by plot holders and the local community will see off threats to an allotment site or reach a workable compromise.

What you can do

• If your local site is threatened, act quickly
• Mobilise local opinion, using local press, the internet and petitions
• Involve local councillors and your MP

In England and Wales, council sites are classified as either 'statutory' or 'temporary'. Statutory sites have some protection. The council must submit plans to central government before it can develop or sell off the site.

If you can argue that the site is of direct value to the wider community, including schools and less able people, this will strengthen your case.

And if the site is fully occupied and well tended with a healthy waiting list, so much the better.

Getting help

The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) or the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS) will give help and legal advice, provided your allotment association is a member.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), which now has the final say in England, is most likely to rule in favour of allotments if it can be shown that there's enough local demand. Temporary sites, which are used for allotments until they are needed for other purposes, have no such protection; nor do private sites.

The Allotment Regeneration Initiative (ARI) was launched in 2002 to help breathe new life into allotment sites nationwide by offering support to local communities through its regional mentor network. 

In many parts of the country, from inner London to St Helens, this grass roots approach has worked wonders, transforming run-down sites into thriving communities.