The Watering Can 2: Joint Allotment Strategy Update

The strategy highlighted a need to invest a minimum of £1 million in improvements to allotment sites over the five-year period 2003-2008 to aid promotion through the provision of infrastructure items. £242,000 has been allocated, so far, to the improvement programme, from the sale of Uxbridge Industrial Estate Allotments, Acacia Avenue and Green Spaces Strategy monies. It had been anticipated that money would have been available from the sale of further identified sites, but this has yet to be completed. These monies have been used to renew dilapidated fencing and entrances at a number of sites ensuring that the allotments are safe and secure. Toilets have been provided at six sites to encourage a wide range of users (3 Composting toilets) Water provision has also been improved at sites to ensure that water is available to all plot holders. Improvements have also been undertaken to improve the access to allotments sites, parking facilities, access pathways for people with disabilities and the replacement of run down storage facilities, feedback has been very positive.

Work has also begun to improve the appearance of allotment sites through regular grass cutting and removal of undergrowth. A team from Blue Sky has carried out work on allotments every third week and has made a huge difference to the standard of maintenance.

These improvements to the general infrastructure are essential to start to encourage even more users, thereby supporting the Borough’s aim of encouraging health and well being of residents and achieving the Borough’s aim for making a cleaner greener borough through allowing greater use of green and open spaces for recreation, conservation and food growth within a safe environment. Many elderly people are allotment holders and the activity and social contact that allotment gardening offers has been felt to be very beneficial and supports the older people’s forum objectives which has been actively supported by the Leader of the Council who is also the Older Peoples Champion.

A further sum of money has been allocated to the strategy for three more toilets which will be installed this winter.