1 CURRENT STATUS

Definition

The word "allotment" originates in land being allotted to an individual under an enclosure award and is defined as a portion of a field assigned to a cottager to labour for himself, or a piece of ground let out for spare time cultivation under a public scheme.

Historic Context

Early allotments of the middle ages were the first kind, with areas of land bequeathed by landowners to be cultivated by poor countrymen. Much later, following the enclosure of common land, cottagers were sometimes compensated for their loss of rights to common land by the "allotment" of small areas of land usually adjacent to their cottage. These uses depended upon charitable landowners.

The first recorded enclosure was about 1650. The period between 1760 and 1818 saw 3 500 Enclosure Acts of Parliament but it was not until the General Enclosure Act of 1845 that a determined effort was made to make provision for the landless poor in the form of "field gardens" limited to one quarter of an acre to be cultivated by a labourer in his spare time, and for the provision of food for himself and his dependants. At this time allotments were virtually confined to rural areas.

The urban allotment has a rather different history than the rural allotment. It sprang from the traditions of the Pleasure Garden or Guinea Garden as well as the tradition of the allotment set aside for the poor as a source of fruit and vegetables.

The Pleasure Garden or Guinea Garden was based on the principle of pleasure and beautiful flower gardens with summer houses and high boundary hedges were used for recreation purposes by the wealthy. The second type of urban allotment was founded on the rural tradition and generally for the urban poor.

At the turn of this century the pressure for urban allotment provision increased as a result of the spread of closely packed housing with small gardens, but intensified greatly with the outbreak of war in 1914 which brought about the realisation of the importance of home grown food. The Defence of the Realm Act of 1916 empowered local authorities to requisition for this purpose any small bit of open space including playing fields and undeveloped land. During the period 1914 - 1918 the number of allotments rose from some 600 000 to 1.5 million, one plot for every 5 families.

After the 1st World War, the national demand for allotments diminished and many thousands of acres, temporarily requisitioned, were returned to their original use. However, the demand for allotments from returning ex-servicemen continued unabated particularly due to the economic conditions and the Land Settlement Facilities Act of 1919 was aimed at helping them. This Act finally deleted reference to "labouring poor" and made it clear that all members of the community were eligible to take up allotment gardening.

During 2nd World War there was again an increase in the number of plots with the Government taking an active part in promoting allotments with demonstration plots and leaflets. After the 2nd World War there was a huge increase in suburban houses with large gardens. A period of decline in demand and numbers of allotments followed caused by increased pressure on development land, increase of convenience foods, the assumption that the new suburban dweller with large gardens no longer needed allotments, and the association of the allotment with the war and rationing.

During the 1970's and 1980's environmental concerns again increased demand. The Thorpe Report 1969 into allotments was commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources. In it, Thorpe advocates that allotments should be turned into a leisure activity, not based on solely economic considerations. He suggests that allotments should be designed spaces, however the decline nationally from 55 000 acres in 1970 to 33 000 acres in 1996 represents a decline of almost 43% during this period.

Context

Allotments cover a notable portion of land in towns and cities. They can therefore make a significant contribution to the urban environment. They provide green oases within densely built up areas. Often they are associated with adjacent open space and thus contribute to green wedges penetrating deep into the urban structure. They are a haven for wildlife, and the cultivated and fallow ground, nectar producing plants, compost heaps, empty plots, grass areas, sheds and stores, and the boundary hedges and banks all provide a diversity of habitat, attracting birds and insects and small mammals.

To-day’s allotment creates an image of an open area of utilitarian strip plots separated by grassy paths, often with makeshift sheds or outbuildings and bounded by hedges, usually with dense urban development all around.

Allotments are a community facility, and their present and future role in the contribution to biodiversity are inextricably linked to how they are used, their contribution to Local Agenda 21 priorities, the planning and political issues involved, and to the policies for their future use and development. Allotments are quite distinct from other unbuilt areas within a city, as they are usually on public land where local people have control over planting, cultivation and maintenance regimes as long as they comply with leasing agreements.

Allotments offer benefits for the community at large. This aspect of allotments was recognised in the Fifth Report by the Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs 1998 that "Allotments are an important feature in the cultural landscape. They combine utility, meaning and beauty with local distinctiveness." This report confirmed that the Government is committed to the sustainable regeneration of towns and cities and recognises that allotments can contribute to our aim of providing green areas in urban environments.

For England and Wales there are just over 305 000 council plots with an estimated 1,220,500 people involved in allotments. In Cambridgeshire there are 4770 allotment plots on 208 sites covering an area of 950 acres and involving nearly 20 000 people(NSALG).

In Cambridge City there are 1 600 plots on 27 sites covering over 100 acres. In Peterborough there are 2 248 plots on 27 sites covering an area of 146 acres. In East Cambridgeshire there are 451 plots (NSALG), in Fenland 1179 plots (NSALG), in Huntingdonshire 563 plots and in South Cambridgeshire 1099 plots (NSALG).

Biological Status

Evidence from the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners shows that allotments have on average an up to 30% higher species diversity than urban parks.

The Natural Areas of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough cover a wide variety of soil types, and many species associated with these different soils could be expected to thrive on allotments given appropriate management and nearby seed sources.

The biological interest of allotments comes from a variety of habitats associated with the boundary treatment - hedgerows, often left to grow tall offering refuge for birds and invertebrates, also ditches and grassy banks with low maintenance regimes. Unused plots often offer a haven for wildlife while some tended plots act as seed banks for rare vegetable species. The grassy paths between the plots are often managed in a different way than the boundary. Compost heaps also are a haven for insects and invertebrates and overwintering invertebrates and mammals.

Species

Invertebrates are also associated with tussocky grasses, hedges and wildflowers found on the boundaries, and include butterflies, bumble bees and other beneficial insects. Birds such as tree sparrow, common sparrow, thrush and mistle thrush, finches, tits and robins can all find nesting and foraging habitat in hedges. Foxes are also known to make use of hedgerows.

Disturbed ground from freshly dug soil makes worms, grubs and insects more accessible and is especially good for birds such as blackbird, pied wagtail, robins and starlings etc feeding in the breeding season . The addition of manure and composts to the soil encourages earthworms. Hedgehogs and grass snake may also be associated with tall grass, hedges and compost heaps.

The undisturbed margins next to hedgerows provide nesting sites for small mammals such as mice and field voles which in turn attract raptors such as kestrel. Next to rivers and ditches field margins create the ideal habitat for overwintering amphibians such as frogs, toads, newts, great crested newts and offer nesting and foraging sites for water voles.

2 CURRENT FACTORS AFFECTING ALLOTMENTS IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND PETERBOROUGH

3 CURRENT ACTION

The Allotment Societies in Cambridge with the help of the Greenways Project and Sustainable City initiatives have been particularly proactive in using and promoting their allotments for biodiversity.

Coppice plots were established at Vinery Road, Cambridge in 1999.

At Burnside allotments, Cambridge a management plan is in preparation, wildlife areas have been established and hedges have been planted around the perimeter. Potential schemes include hazel growing for peasticks and the possibility of different management regimes such as mowing.

Cambridge City Council have awarded a grant to the allotment holders at Histon Road to set up a hazel coppice area. Histon Road allotments also hope to incorporate a pond into their site and to manage it for wildlife.

A community garden was developed on Nuffield Road allotments, Cambridge. The land was lost through development pressure. Hopefully such initiatives will start up again.

In line with its designation as a ‘Wildlife Corridor’ a group of plot holders are developing a nature area on long under-used horsetail infested plots at one end of Empty Common.

At Trumpington allotments a 20 pole allotment has been strimmed and raked to establish a chalk grassland sward. Management of existing hedges is actively being undertaken by the allotment society under the guidance of the City Greenways Project. A new hedge is planned to provide habitat simultaneously with improved site security.

There is a community recycling scheme of wood chippings for composting at Burnside and Nuffield Road allotments, Cambridge.

Legal Status

The first statutes establishing allotments were aimed mainly at provision from charitable sources, and it was not until the Act of 1908, which consolidated all previous legislation, that for the first time local councils had a statutory duty to provide. Additional Acts followed in 1925 and 1950.

Links with Local Agenda 21

Organic cultivation. A national survey in 1993 found that weedkillers and fungicides were used by around half of all allotment holders, although they were applied sparingly. Organic gardeners recognise the value of pollinator and predator species.

Heritage Allotments can be an important genetic resource for the conservation of rare species.

Recycle Allotments holders are encouraged to recycle and offer the potential for community composting site.

Transport Home grown food means there is less transport (less air miles) and less packaging.

Employment and Training New skills and opportunities whether promotional, managerial or cultivation

Education Links with schools, special needs and adult learning. Close contact with wildlife can lead to a lifelong interest.

Leisure Promoting local tourism - arts, crafts and volunteering

Sustainable neighbourhoods - revitalising allotments and neighbourhoods

Community Developments Co-operation across ethnic age and other barriers. Allotment societies often play a wider role in community schemes, becoming involved with local schools as well as programmes for the mentally and physically ill or disabled.

Health Increased consumption of fresh foods and more exercise and relief from stress, and therapy for those with mental health problems.

Some allotment societies play an active part in Local Agenda 21 issues helping plan for the implementation of sustainable development. Professor Crouch reported to the Select Committee in 1997 that

"A lively allotment society can negotiate, work with, local councils, local firms, local sponsors of a variety of kinds and local voluntary groups, schools, social service departments, environmental food growing organisations, local civic trusts, ..... to develop events, to encourage people to visit the site for particular purposes, perhaps ecological work, and enabling youngsters to participate in the repairing buildings, clearing areas.....in ways that give people a responsibility, a responsiveness to the environment....in a sense allotment holding has been sustainable for much longer than the word sustainability has existed and in a sense it offers a great example of good ways of using the environment."

For plot holders the practical values included the production of fresh vegetables, physical exercise and social activity and the therapeutic value that allotment gardening can make to physical and mental good health.

Other Guidance

The Forestry Authority have produced a leaflet promoting woodland on allotments - Allotment, Forestry on your patch.

There is a great deal of information available on the Internet. The National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardens (NSALG) have a web site, home page giving information, advice and news on http://www.ncare.co.uk/nsalg/

There is a wealth of information also available in last year’s Reports of the Parliamentary (DETR) Select Committee on ‘The Future of Allotments’. This information is available from http://www.parliament.the stationary-office.co.uk/

Cambridge Allotment Societies has a web site giving local information and availability of allotments at http://www.allotments.net/

"Cambridge Allotments Newsletter" has been covering wildlife schemes and relevant training events. It can be used to spread information.

The Henry Doubleday Research Association provides much information and demonstration gardens at Ryton and Yalding gardens for people wanting to garden organically or in a wildlife friendly way. More details from http://www.hdra.org.uk/

4 OBJECTIVES AND LONG TERM TARGETS

Five year targets to 2005

Managers of allotments to be implementing widely agreed wildlife friendly management plans on 50% of allotments.

Community composting schemes on 30% of allotments.

30% of Local Authority excess bark chippings to be used on community composting schemes.

Create uncultivated beetle banks on 15% of large allotments.

Provide buffer zones adjacent to water courses, woodland and other sites of high biodiversity value.

Promote individual wildlife schemes by individual allotment holders on their own plots.

Ten Year Targets to 2010

Managers of allotments to be implementing widely agreed wildlife friendly management plans on 75% of allotments.

Community composting schemes on 50% of allotments.

60% of Local Authority excess bark chippings to be used on community composting schemes.

Create uncultivated beetle banks on 30% of large allotments.

5 PROPOSED ACTION WITH TARGETS

Action for the next three years is detailed in the attached programme.

Policy and Legislation

Site Safeguard and Management

Advisory

Monitor and Research

Communications and Publicity

6    LINKS TO OTHER ACTION PLANS

Please also refer to Habitat Action Plans for Gardens, Hedgerows, Ditches, and Ponds; and Species Action Plans for Water Vole, Great Crested Newt, Song Thrush.

7    ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS CONSULTED

BAP Steering Group, Cambridge Sustainable City Group, Cambridge Green Belt Project, Cambridge Greenways Project, Cambridge Allotments Network and a number of individual allotment holders.

REFERENCES

Cambridge City Council 1998. Review of Allotments. Public Report for Environment Committee.

Crouch, D and Ward, C 1997 (revised ed.). The Allotment: Its Landscape and Culture. Five Leaves Publication.

House of Commons, Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs. Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs. Fifth Report (1998). The Future of Allotments

House of Commons, Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs. Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs. Minutes of Evidence. Memorandum by the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd

Peterborough City Council 1992. Allotment Review. Public Report for Leisure Services Committee.

Response of the Quality Environment for Dartford Allotments Group to the DETR "Making Biodiversity Happen" Supplementary Consultation Paper.

Thorpe Report of the Departmental Committee of Inquiry into Allotments, Cmnd 4166. HMSO 1969

CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND PETERBOROUGH LHAP: ALLOTMENTS 3 YEAR PROGRAMME