Should landowners be forced to give up space for allotments?

Why are we asking this now?

Because that’s one of the more controversial suggestions from a think tank which is looking into how Britain can alleviate its rather desperate allotment shortage. According to the New Local Government Network, persuading councils to turn over vacant brownfield sites

The think tank’s director, Chris Shipley, who is also a former MP, has even suggested that the Royal Family should hand over some of their land. “I am sure that as a vocal advocate for farming and the countryside, that Prince Charles and the Duchy of Cornwall will be supportive of the idea,” he said.

How bad are the shortages?

Pretty bad. The number of allotments available to the public has remained relatively constant over the past decade but what seems to have taken everyone by surprise is the amazing demand for patches of land to grow your own.

Jeff Stokes, the national secretary of the National Association of Allotments and Leisure Gardens, says: “Demand for allotments has mushroomed in the past five years. People are now so much more concerned about how much food is imported vast distances to our supermarkets when they could be grown at home. But the supply hasn’t increased with the demand.”

Independent