Sarah Champion MP brings her fight for more allotments to Parliament

Sarah Champion, Member of Parliament for Rotherham, has tabled an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to encourage more allotment and community garden land, as part of the Government’s planning reforms.

The UK currently has a shortage of allotments, despite high demand. An estimated 90,000 people are on a waiting list.

She has been working with Mike Farrell, local Rotherham Resident and Chair of the National Allotment Society (NAS), to campaign for the changes.

Labour’s manifesto committed to promote nature recovery, through large-scale projects like riverwalks and national forests. Sarah’s amendment seeks to leverage the opportunity on offer in smaller-scale nature recovery projects.

Allotments and community gardens are rich in biodiversity, creating green spaces for wildlife and pollinators. There is also a growing awareness of the role that these sits play in improving physical and mental health, as well as tackling loneliness.

Sarah Champion said:

“The creation of more allotments and community gardens would generate biodiversity benefits across the country, at relative ease and low cost to the taxpayer.

Allotments aren’t just about vegetables, they are about community. They create space for educational and social projects. In Rotherham, the South Yorkshire WH Community use their allotment to host a weekly Cook and Share Luncheon using allotment grown fruit and veg, for new and old residents alike.

With so many people on allotment waiting lists across the country, alongside a desperate need for nature recovery, my amendment represents a win-win for the Government.”

Mike Farrell, Chairman of the National Allotment Society, said:

“The waiting lists for allotments are a direct reflection of the lack of available land. With more people recognising the health and environmental benefits of growing their own food, it's vital that we expand access to these vital green spaces to ensure that no one is left waiting.”

ENDS