Allotments gardens are a familiar and ubiquitous feature of the British landscape (Crouch, D. 1997) and an important one, particularly during the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign during World War II which saw people grow their own produce to boost their food supply.
However, despite the recent surge in demand for allotments, in the past few decades’ allotment numbers have been in decline. With the awareness of climate change and the importance of environmental sustainability, increasing food prices and challenges to stereotypes about allotment growers, have all contributed to large waiting lists for allotments in many areas (‘Can you Dig it’, 2009). Nationally, there are approximately 158,796 allotments in England across 323 councils, with a total of 94,124 people on waiting lists (NSKAG, 2010). It should be noted that these national figures appear to account only for local authority allotments and do not include private allotments (Lords debate in Hansard, 2004).
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Allotments in Sheffield
The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners suggest that there should be a minimum of 15 plots per thousand households (or 1 plot for every 65 households). For York (both City Council and other providers) there are 40 plots per thousand households. Other authorities compare the number of plots per thousand populations, which means that York with 9.8 plots per thousand populations compares well with Bristol 11.9, Sheffield 6.7 and Liverpool 4.2 plots per thousand populations. (York CC, 2006)
Locally in the borough of Sheffield, there are 3,305 allotments across 76 sites and 210 private allotment sites (Sheffield City Council, 2010) with the overall waiting list for plots now at 2,646 (BBC, 2010). Prime site examples include Heeley/Meersbrook, Carfeild Farm Community Garden and Heeley City farm allotments. During 2009, Sheffield Council created one new allotment site which was brought into use 
in the Burncross extension. The total area of new land, approximately, 1,680m2, included 14 new plots each measuring 120m2. (Sheffield Council, 2010). Potentially, five new sites could be developed by the council under the ‘Community Food Growing’ scheme.
These include plots at Ecclesfield Park, Lane End in Chapeltown, the Old Jessops Hospital site, Page Hall and parkland at Parson Cross – all of which are currently derelict or overgrown (BBC, 2010).
All this is a positive move towards the current state of council allotments in meeting this surge in demand, yet could this be solved much more easily?
Are allotment plots in Sheffield currently being used to their full potential? Are all plots currently cultivated, unused, or just simply abandoned?
In a response to questions about the take-up of allotments, Mike Taylor (Sheffield Councilor) stated that there were around 500 plots in the City that had not been let and that the popularity of allotments was dependent upon their location because most tenants wanted a plot, which was near to their home. (Sheffield County Council, 2006).
In a survey of allotment performance (Appendix A) conducted in 2005, it stated that a there was a total of 3,257 plots, with 2,631 active tenancy, leaving 626 vacant. At the time, there was a waiting list of 435. Surely this could be solved by filling the abandoned sites?
Key allotment sites included Bowstead, with 36 plots, yet 31 vacant, Hagghouse in the south-west with 144 plots and a colossal 126 vacant. The same with Rivelin Valley which has 255 plots and nearly half are vacant. There is currently no up-to-date list in this area, and upon further investigation this data could be required and recorded efficiently.
Vacant plots appears to be an issue and could clearly help towards alleviating the potential demand. Perhaps self-management will help to keep vacant sites down and enable allotments to become more productive?
No sites owned by Sheffield City Council were self-managed and there had been no request from any allotment site tenants or society to take responsibility for a site. The only past experience of such an initiative was at the Rustlings Road site, but this had subsequently been returned to the Council because of management and administrative difficulties. (Sheffield County Council, 2006)
Community groups in the city like Grow Sheffield, Green City Action, Heeley City Farm and Sheffield Wildlife Trust have already said they are interested in managing and developing an area of land for food growing. (BBC, 2010)
This paper sets out to examine and explore the different models by which people are working the land in Sheffield and to offer a compartive and transferable data source to indicate why there is a high demand, yet so many unproductive sites through:
The use of GIS software to map out allotments within Sheffield in order to create a database of existing sites and their uses, examine the spatial layouts of allotments, commenting on their successes, and/or failures, and offering design solutions to remedy such findings such as plots too big/manageable
Offer solutions towards more productive allotment sites, identifying uncultivated plots.
Semi-structured interviews with allotment holders and key informants.
Offer ideas towards potential future sites.
Literature Review
Allotments
The term “allotment” is defined in the Allotments Act 1925 as “an allotment garden, or any parcel of land not more than five acres in extent cultivated or intended to be cultivated as a garden farm, or partly as a garden farm and partly as a farm.” An “allotment garden” is defined in the Allotments Act 1922 as an allotment not exceeding 40 poles (or 1,000 square metres) which is wholly or mainly cultivated by the occupier for the production of fruit or vegetables for consumption by himself and his family, and this definition is common to all the statutes in which the term occurs. An “allotment garden” is what people commonly mean by the term allotment, that is a plot let out to an individual within a larger allotment field. Local authorities’ duties and powers now in general only extend to allotment gardens.
In the late 1940s there were 1.4 million allotments. Popularity was high due to World War II and the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign which encouraged people to grow their own food. In the 1980s and 1990s, plots were sold off by councils around the country primarily due to lack of demand. Today an insufficient supply of about 200,000 allotment plots remain. (LV, 2009)
This loss of sites and plots now poses a problem as demand for allotments has rocketed. The publicity and interest generated by TV chefs, such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, has helped encourage people to want to grow their own vegetables.
The urban allotment has been described by commentators as “both a sought-after commodity and an essential social accessory” (Miller, A, 2008). Harrods recently offered a £300 consultation on how to create an allotment and offered a team of experts to come and develop a plot from £1,000. (Osborne, H, 2007) Even the Queen recently turned a part of the garden in Buckingham Palace into a vegetable patch to provide a variety of home grown produce to the palace kitchen (Davies, C, 2009)
The economic downturn, rather than suppressing demand, has fuelled demand, leading one academic to claim that the outlook for allotments has rarely looked so promising (Wiltshire, R). The rising costs of living and increased food prices have led to a new call for allotments as people look at ways to save on household costs. A recent survey showed that allotment owners saved around £950 a year by growing their own produce (LV, 2009).
The number of those interested in the idea of an allotment is thought to be approximately 6 million, illustrating the potential scale of demand (LV, 2009). This demand is only expected to grow in the coming years as a result of social and environmental pressures. According to a report from the Department of Communities and Local Government, ‘The need for allotments, community gardens and urban farms is likely to rise with the growth of interest in organic farming and as a result of rising housing densities and the consequential reduction in the size of many gardens.’ (DCLG, 2002)
The increasing mismatch between supply and demand for allotments is demonstrated by the rapid increase in waiting lists over the past decade. In 1996 waiting lists totaled around 13,000 but by 2008 the total was estimated to be around 100,000 (NSLAG, 2009). Waiting lists in one London borough are estimated to be as long as 40 years (LV, 2009). Waiting lists in some areas have grown so long that the local authorities have closed them – leading to a systematic under-assessment of the true demand (LGA, 2008)
This information coupled with the sum 500 (Sheffield County Council, 2006) sites not let within Sheffield proves startling even with Sheffield set at 287 hectares for allotments (CIPFA Returns, 2005/6) showing the city as a comparator with the core cities (figure 1) and therefore forms the basis of this research paper.
In addition, allotment sites should be strategically located close to demand and as far away from known sources of contamination as possible, such as old railways, bomb sites and some industrial brownfield sites (Perez-Vazquez, 2000)
Allotment size needs to take account f its intended purpose: therapeutical, hobby or recreational, commercial, self-consumption or mixed purpose. Allotments are considered by many people as a leisure activity rather than as a means for growing food (Thorpe, 1975)
The Benefits of Allotments
Allotments bring a number of benefits to both individual gardeners and the wider community. Over 70% of the population believes that spending time in their gardens is important for their quality of life (National Trust, 2009). Yet many people, such as flat dwellers, are frequently denied a space to garden and grow their own fruit and vegetables. To prevent exclusion from the opportunities that those people with gardens enjoy, allotments are a vital resource.
Evidence from the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners shows that the average allotment site has up to 30% more wildlife diversity than a typical urban park. In Solihull, for example, most allotment sites are associated with adjacent public open space making them part of important wildlife corridors, linking areas of green space within the urban environment. (Warwickshire Government. 2005)
The House of Commons Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee which examines the expenditure, administration and policy of Government in these areas – recently stated that ‘Consumers will need to think more about the impacts of the way their food is produced, and that the Government will have to encourage them to do so. A formidable task, but it will be rendered less formidable if consumers are engaged with the concept of food production in the first place (House of Commons, 2009). Allotments help achieve this goal by reconnecting people with the food that they eat through actively involving them in the process of food production.
There are a wide ranging set of important educative benefits of allotments, particularly for schools or children’s groups to visit and learn. Educating children of the importance of healthy food and environmental sustainability is now considered to be an important role of local authorities and schools. Eighty per cent of the population are reported to believe that children should learn growing and gardening at school (National Trust, 2009). Brighton and Hove City Council have proposed that under the Sustainable Communities Act food growing is introduced as part of the national curriculum, either on or off school sites (Brighton and Hove Council, 2009).
At the UN’s ‘World Food Security’ conference in 2008, the UN announced that, to cope with rising demand, food production would have to increase by 50% by 2030. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s paper, ‘Securing Food Supplies up to 2050: The Challenges faced by the UK’, considered how the UK should respond. It concluded that production in allotments and gardens would have benefits for the security of food supplies (House of Commons, 2009). Following this report, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has called for a ‘radical rethink’ on how the UK produces and consumes its food. As a part of this, producers, supermarkets and consumers were invited to suggest how a secure food system should look in 2030 (Kinver, M, 2009). We believe allotments could play an important part in this new future for food; producing readily accessible and easily accessible produce.
Allotments have multiple benefits, some direct and more obvious, others more tangential but no less important. What is clear is that there is a compelling case for them and their expansion, but the story of allotments is one of demand outstripping supply
Allotment Policy
The allotments legislation has a long history, some of which originates from the Nineteenth Century Enclosure Awards. The present legislative provisions are contained in the Small Holdings and Allotment Acts 1908 and the Allotments Acts 1922-1950. These place an obligation on allotment authorities to meet the demands of local residents wishing to cultivate allotments and to make provision for the acquisition, management and control of allotment sites.
Geographical Information Systems
GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing feature events on earth. GIS technology integrates common database operations, such as query and statistical analysis, with maps. GIS manages location-based information and provides tools for display and analysis of various statistics, including population characteristics, economic development opportunities, and vegetation types. It allows us to link databases and maps to create dynamic displays. Additionally, it provides tools to visualise, query, and overlay those databases in ways not possible with traditional spreadsheets. These abilities distinguish GIS from other information systems, and make it valuable to a wide range of public and private enterprises for explaining events, predicting outcomes, and planning strategies.
GIS has a remarkable capacity to capture, manipulate and analyse spatial referenced data in order to display the result within a map or graphs. Moreover this technology can create links between various databases to assist a decision-making process.
The application of GIS technology within Landscape Architecture
Asche & Schreiber et al. investigated the use of GIS in environmental science and in landscape planning in Germany (Asche/Schreiber et al. 1999) and they came to the conclusion that all working-fields of landscape planning can be selectively accompanied by the use of GIS.
GIS has become of increasing significance for environmental planning, landscape planning and environmental impact studies in recent years. The main reason for this is the need, in Environmental Planning, to compare a great number of area-related data describing the affected natural resources and their sensitivity related to the effects of impacts. GIS can be used to couple area-related data with their attributes that represents a highly efficient instrument for such planning tasks and one of common use that is transferable to allow others to view/use and to allow for further research.
Methodology
This research paper has been chosen a type 1, investigative dissertation. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used in order to gain an insight into the topic and allow for further investigation.
A range of methods will be drawn upon in order to gather the required data. These will involve initial data gathering through feasibility studies and interviews plotting the outcomes on allotment site locations. This information will be recorded using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Secondary source material (online data such as MAGIC, CLG, DCMS, DEFRA, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield University resources) and site visits will also be utilised.
All data gathered from participants will require special precautions to ensure that it is stored appropriately.
Data gathered will be mapped using computer software applications such as Geographic information Systems (GIS) as a mode of analysis and representation. This provides a means of visualising and interpreting landscape data for studying changes in forms and functions.
Analysis of design and planning documents as well as literature review of secondary source material with an in depth study on the current condition of each site through the use of observation and photography will be involved within the research.
Practical requirements will involve travelling to each destination within Sheffield through either bus, tram or by private car.
Ethical Approval
The nature of this research area will require ethical approval. There will be considerable human participation through the use of interviews and questionnaires to allotment holders, groups and communities and possibly interaction with on-site allotment managers/Sheffield Council in order to gain access to each individual site.
Timetable
Task
Action
Deadline
1
Literature research – Finding out further information on the chosen topic, with up-to-date resources.
End of Decemeber
2
Gathering of initial data on allotment sites in Sheffield through interaction with County Council and observation techniques, plotting exact locations, sizes, plot numbers, plots used/unused/abandoned.
Early January to late April
3
Analyse data gathered.
Late January to late April
4
Semi-structured interviews with allotment holders and key informants.
Early April to Late May
5
Further analysis of data gathered. Mapping of data within GIS.
Early May to Late May
6
Further literature research, data gathering and analysis.
Early May to Late June
7
Dissertation first draft.
Early June – Early August
8
Dissertation second draft.
Early August to Late August
9
Dissertation hand-in.
Early September
References:’Can you dig it’ www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-content/uploads/can-you-dig-it.pdf – Accessed: 31-10-2010
International Data Base (IDB) – World Population” Census.gov. 2010-06-28. Accessed: 2010-09-12
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsc-00887.pdf 2010, Accessed: 2010-07-19
http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out–about/parks-woodlands–countryside/allotments, 2010, Accessed: 2010-09-12
Kipling, R. 1911. “The Glory of the Garden.” In Rudyard Kipling’s Verse. London.
Crouch, D and Ward, C. 1988. The allotment, its landscape and culture. Faber and Faber. London.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmenvtra/560-iii/560iii02.htm Accessed: 01/11/2010
A comprehensive review of allotment history and policy is set out in the report of the Thorpe Committee of Inquiry into Allotments, published 1969 (Cmnd 4166)
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/B2CFD669EFE874EF80256E910046AD35/$file/Allotments.pdf `2005, Accessed: 01-11-2010
National Trust (2009), ‘Space to Grow: Why People Need Gardens’, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ main/w-chl/w-places_collections/w-gardens/w-gardens-space_to_grow.htm Accessed: 01-11-2010
LV (2009), ‘Brits Rediscover the Good Life’, Press Release, Liverpool Victoria, 2 June 2009, http:// www.lv.com/media_centre/press_releases/brits-discover-good-life Accessed: 31-10-2010
Miller, A. (2008), ‘Up the Allotments’, The Telegraph, 24 May 2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ culture/books/non_fictionreviews/3673629/Up-the-allotments.html Accessed: 31-10-2010
Miller, A. (2008), ‘Up the Allotments’, The Telegraph, 24 May 2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ culture/books/non_fictionreviews/3673629/Up-the-allotments.html
Davies, C. (2009), ‘Queen turns corner of palace back yard into an allotment’, The Observer, 14 June 2009, http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jun/14/queen-allotment-organic-gardening
Osborne, H. (2007), ‘Harrods Unveils Rooftop Allotments’ The Guardian, 17 April 2007, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/apr/17/homesandgardens.lifeandhealth
Wiltshire, R, ‘Growing in the Community: The Longer View’, Kings College London http://www.sags.org.uk/docs/ReportsPresentations/richardwiltshire.pdf
LV (2009), ‘Brits Rediscover the Good Life’, Press Release, Liverpool Victoria, 2 June 2009, http://www.lv.com/media_centre/press_releases/brits-discover-good-life
DCLG (2002), ‘Assessing needs and opportunities: a companion guide to PPG17.’
Sheffield County Council, 2006, Minutes of Scrutiny Board 20 July 2006, http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/index.asp?pgid=92019
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9002000/9002864.stm accessed: 04-11-2010
http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari/documents/mgtdocs/york/Allotments_Strategy_.DOC
accessed: 04-11-2010
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/allotment_waiting_lists_165 accessed 04-11-2010
Asche, A.; Schreiber; K.-F. et al. (1999): Rückblick auf über 20 Jahre landschaftsökologische
Forschung und Planung mit Hilfe Geographischer Informationssysteme. Online:
http://gis.esri.com/library/userconf/europroc99/html/vortraege/v18/v1803/v1803.html [Status:
1.12.2003].
Birmingham City Council (2009), ‘The Sustainable Communities Act’, http://www.birmingham.gov.
uk/Media/Proposals.pdf?MEDIA_ID=292879&FILENAME=Proposals.pdf
NSLAG (2009), Survey Data from ‘A Survey of Allotment Waiting Lists in England’, Transition Town
West Kirby and National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, http://www.nsalg.org.uk/uploads/
article564/ttwk_nsalg_survey_09.pdf
LV (2009), ‘Brits Rediscover the Good Life’, Press Release, Liverpool Victoria, 2 June 2009, http://
www.lv.com/media_centre/press_releases/brits-discover-good-life
Kinver, M. (2009), ‘Radical Rethink Needed on Food’, BBC News, 10 August 2009, http://news.
bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8189549.stm
Population
Hectares
Expenditure 2005/06
Income
Net Spend
Net Spend per Head
of Population
Gross
Spend
Per
Hectare
Net
Spend
Per
Hectare
£ ‘ 000
£ ‘ 000
£ ‘ 000
£
£
Birmingham
992,100
285
473
72
401
0.40
1,660
1,407
Bristol
391,500
108
150
103
47
0.12
1,389
954
Leeds
719,000
NA
74
22
52
0.07
–
–
Manchester
432,500
NA
NA
–
–
–
–
–
Sheffield
512,500
287
115
61
54
0.11
401
188
Bradford
477,800
NA
73
48
25
0.05
–
Leicester
283,900
115
58
21
37
0.13
504
322
Source: CIPFA Returns 2005/6
Local Government Assoication (2008), ‘Growing in the community.’
Perez-vazquez, a (2000). The future role of allotments in food production as a component of urban agriculture in england. Final report to agropolis-idrc. Imperial college at wye, ashford, united kingdom
House of Commons (2009), Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee, ‘Securing Food
Supplies up to 2050: The Challenges faced by the UK’, 21 July 2009, http://www.publications.
parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmenvfru/213/213i.pdf
National Trust (2009), ‘Space to Grow: Why People Need Gardens’ http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
main/w-chl/w-places_collections/w-gardens/w-gardens-space_to_grow.htm
Brighton and Hove City Council (2009), ‘2009 Proposals under the Sustainable Communities
Act’, Brighton and Hove City Council’ http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1209775
Heeley City Farm Organic Food Growing
Sheffield Allotments & Home Gardens Federation
Grow Sheffield
Highcliffe Community Allotments Association
Norfolk Park Community Allotment
Tinsley Community Allotment
Women’s Allotment Group in Firth Park
Appendix A – 2005 Sheffield Council
NAME OF SITE
NO OF PLOTS
NO OF TENANCY
VACANT PLOTS
WAITING LIST
WATER
AREA
PANEL
Archer Lane
98
98
0
66
Y
Sharrow/Nether Edge/ Broomhill
Ash Street (Mosborough)
1
0
1
0
N
South East
Birley Moor Drive
3
1
2
3
N
South East
Birley Moor Way
6
4
2
1
N
South East
Bolehill Quarry
15
15
0
1
Y
Netherthorpe/
Hillsborough
Bowstead
36
5
31
0
N
Darnall
Brushes
25
15
10
3
Y
Brightside
Burncross
19
19
0
15
Y
North
Corker Bottoms
60
47
13
1
Y
Manor/Castle/
Woodthorpe
Crimicar Lane
4
4
0
0
N
South West
Crookes Marsh Lane
40
40
0
30
Y
South West
Crookes Quarry
35
35
0
9
Y
South West
Ecclesall
15
15
0
15
Y
South West
Edgefield
11
11
0
1
Y
Sharrow/Nether Edge/ Broomhill
Elm Crescent (Mosborough)
11
6
5
0
N
South East
Ferncroft
7
6
1
0
N
South East
Finchwell
28
26
2
0
Y
Darnall
Francis Fields
17
17
0
26
South West
Grimesthorpe
104
104
0
3
Y
Burngreave
Grimesthorpe Rd
9
7
2
1
N
Burngreave
Hagg House
144
18
126
0
Y
South West
Hagg Lane
162
157
5
9
Y
South West
Handsworth Crescent
2
0
2
0
N
Darnall
Hangingwater
94
93
1
55
Y
Sharrow/Nether Edge/ Broomhill
Harris Road
22
22
0
1
N
Hillsborough/ Netherthorpe
Hawthorn Avenue (Stocksbridge)
3
3
0
0
N
North
Heeley Common
24
19
5
2
Y
Park/Heeley
High Wincobank
85
34
51
1
Y
Brightside
Highcliffe Road
107
99
8
1
Y
South West
Hinde House
20
6
14
0
Brightside
Hinde House Lane
14
7
7
0
Y
Brightside
Holberry Gardens
20
20
0
6
Y
Sharrow/Nether Edge/ Broomhill
Hollinsend
23
17
6
0
Y
South
Hollinsend Rec
10
5
5
0
N
South
Junction Road (Woodhouse)
2
2
0
0
N
South East
Lamb Croft
37
32
5
2
Y
South East
Longley
7
3
4
0
N
Southey/Owlerton
Manor
74
27
47
0
Y
Manor/ Castle/ Woodthorpe
Mauncer Drive
8
8
0
0
Y
South East
Meersbrook
413
400
13
4
Y
Park/Heeley
Meetinghouse Lane
1
1
0
0
N
South East
Moor Crescent
3
0
3
0
N
South East
Morley Street
163
158
5
4
Y
Hillsborough/ Netherthorpe
Morley Street Gas
39
27
12
0
Y
Hillsborough/ Netherthorpe
Moss Way
82
55
27
0
Y
South East
Norton Lees
56
53
3
8
Y
Park/Heeley
Norton St Pauls
22
21
1
9
Y
Park/Heeley
Norwood
61
54
7
4
Y
Southey/Owlerton
Old Haywoods
9
9
0
1
N
North
Ouse Road
27
18
9
0
Y
Darnall
Oxley Park
9
9
0
2
N
North
Park Rifles
34
32
2
3
Y
Manor/Castle/
Woodthorpe
Plumbley Lane
30
27
3
1
N
South East
Reignhead Farm
34
34
0
6
Y
South East
Richmond
12
11
1
1
N
South East
Rivelin Valley
225
101
124
4
Y
Hillsborough/ Nethertho
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