Minister keen to help allotments bear fruit

28 Jan 2015 12:16 PM

Budding gardeners waiting for an allotment space have been given a boost after the Welsh Government announced that it is looking at a raft of measures to improve access and availability of allotments and community gardens in Wales.

New guidance is on its way which will help establish new sites, improve site management, ease planning concerns and better manage waiting lists.

The Minister for Natural Resources Carl Sargeant said this will be done in partnership with community representatives and local government in order to maximise all potential opportunities to further the growth of allotments.

The Minister said:

“Allotments enable people to grow fresh, sustainable produce for themselves and their families, and encourage better community cohesion and welfare.  It’s vital that we continue to support and promote their use and allow as many people as possible to reap the obvious benefits.

“It’s also true that local authorities are under pressure both in terms of the space available to them and the demand. It’s therefore an important time to think about different ways in which we can strengthen the guidance to better serve our communities - providing options to those already with allotments, waiting for allotments or with the potential space for further allotments.

“I’d like to thank those who responded to the recent consultation on these issues. The wide ranging engagement and views will help inform the revised guidance, which we will introduce later this year.”

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