Allotments under threat

[Allotmentannie]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/02/rayner-declares-war-on-allotments/

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/rayner-declares-war-allotments-144159010.html

She has already personally approved the sale of eight allotment sites across England since Labour came to power. Under the Allotment Act 1925, any disposal of allotment sites requires Westminster to give the go-ahead.

I'm quite concerned about this as the username might indicate I have an interest. I'm quite horrified.

The idea we build on good farmland for housing is gut-wrenching, but knowing they're after the smaller patches of community land is also pure evil.

Allotment demand fluctuates, but in most areas there are long waiting lists. We should be adding more allotment spaces to meet this demand.

On Facebook I see groups bemoaning their council isn't letting plots and the site is falling into disuse. They need to challenge this - every site should be full and well used! If they're destroying allotments by not letting plots then that's criminal.

Allotments are covered by several Acts of Parliament. Many are statutory, hence needing govt permission before they're built over. Any non-statutory ones can be just taken back without much of a fight.

Allotmenting is good for people. It's good for those who have no garden to grow in. It helps people stay connected to nature and understand where food comes from. It is a hobby that many people enjoy around the country.

Am I being unreasonable in asking that they don't destroy any more allotments?

I live in a village where there have historically been several allotment sites. One set of land was allocated to WW1 soldiers who returned from the local 'Lord'. In the 1960's they took an allotment sites for 'new build' - in the 2000's they took another set of allotments for 'new build'. A further 150 houses have been designated to need to be built in the local plan. The only land left is either agricultural or allotments. Still two remaining allotment sites left - I would guess that future new builds will end up on allotment sites. You will get a load of flannel around consultations with the locals but ultimately its the council that will decide.

I applied for an allotment 3 or 4 years ago(I can't actually remember its been that long), I'm still waiting, our wait list is closed, we have about 8 -10 allotment sites in my town.

I had one about 12 years ago but gave it up as I moved to a house with a garden. So many were never attended and overgrown. It's so frustrating how people hold on to them but don't use them.

Locally if you don’t cultivate you get a warning and then get turfed off. I got a warning for not sufficiently strimmjng my edges! You need a robust allotment council that can manage these things. Ours is firm but fair.

My mum has two plots, and her council is the same. If you don't use it, you lose it.
Hers are lovely, and I would hate to think how it would affect her if the land got sold.

As DorsetVintage says, allotment sites have been under threat for a very long time. With the current levels of demand on then it is crazy to think of selling more. We need the food and apart from the obvious benefits to people of having some independent food supply, it’s good for everyone that people have some knowledge of where food comes from.

I think they should be building on all the golf courses personally. Especially foreign- owned ones. Especially those belonging to foreign owners involved in their governments. Especially to foreign government officials with stupid orange hair. But mostly just golf courses, we can’t afford such a waste of land.

They have built on one golf course here. I imagine one of the other few might go soon.

If this is indeed true then this bloody government is a right shower of shite! I already knew they were, but this just cemented it.

I'm no fan of Angela Rayner but this is bit of a hit-piece.

She's given approval for 8 allotments to be sold off. There are over 300,000 allotments in the UK (many of which aren't council owned) so it's a bit far-fetched to claim it's a war. Having said that, I wouldn't want to see well run sites for which there is demand being sold to anyone.

This breaks my heart. I personally can't fathom why a LABOUR government would attack their many voters in urban spaces. It's tragic that a socialist party would agree to kill off such a much valued and loved community amenity for the working classes. Its mind-boggling, actually.

Allotments are exactly the sort of grassroots community urban spaces they should be encouraging. They're so good for well-being, social inclusion, integration and community engagement. They're also crucial little wildlife corridors, especially since most home gardeners are organic and want to work alongside nature.

To declare my interest, I say this as someone who has created the most beautiful garden oasis in a year, from a plot that had been abandoned because of the previous owner's ill health.

When I started, my dad had just died, my freelance job had finished and I was mentally and physically burnt out. For context I have a well-managed long term MH condition, as well as a LT pain condition which had flared up and stopped me getting out of the house.

After 3 months of unemployment in agonising daily pain (completely unpaid, no claims made on taxpayers funds in case it's relevant) I had managed to clear the head-height weeds and grow two courgette plants. I met a group of lovely women, many of whom had issues of social exclusion such as long term disability and pain, single motherhood, immigration but inspired me to give it a go.

A year later I am back in work, self-sufficient, and have a plot full of veggies and home grown flowers. Imagine the cost of that recovery journey if it were therapy for mental and physical health, or worse, long-term dependency on state benefits. (Not criticism of those who find themselves in that situation). Its impossible to quantify the value of these spaces. 😔

This is on their Facebook page - can't see it on their website yet so you'll have to wait for the graphic to be added or click the link to the post

www.facebook.com/Nationalallotmentsociety/posts/pfbid0Rp89TEZK3cu1Mzud3RWZSLjVAsSd4E9twaN4ecPv297VogQT22fFLGr6KaoVtL6Jl

Relocating allotment sites does happen.
I am aware of one site change. Everyone was given a replacement shed and greenhouse to match what they'd left, but they couldn't take the soil or the trees.
The site feels very different to the old one.

The land is not always as suitable, or location not as good. I would love a list and to find out more about the lost sites and any replacements.

@anon666 you really don't have anything to worry about. This is a non-story, spun by The Telegraph to an egregious level of dishonesty.

Here is a screenshot of the Allotment Society's response. They are not remotely worried, and see the story for what it is. A load of rubbish.

ETA that the photo might take a few minutes to arrive

Gosh, you are right. What a bunch of absolute tossers the Telegraph are.

What infuriates me is that their choice of government, the Tories, messed up the country beyond all recognition. The NHS, education, justice system, police, the economy. Brexit was an unmitigated disaster. By the time this government came in, it feels like Britain was on its knees.

So to have them rolling out this anti-Labour propaganda is such a damn cheek. What scares me is it feeds into Reform's narrative, and if they get in, we face complete and utter chaos, incompetence and corruption. They are borderline criminals, which for all Labours misjudgement, they are not!

Usual truth-twisting bollocks from the Telegraph. It's very misleading.

our local allotments are a place of sanctuary. They’re nearly all thriving and teeming with food and produce.

what is that woman playing at?

Just read the three posts above your own and all will become clear.

where it is clearly necessary and offers value for money

As criteria go, this is a completely open door for any local authority. Housing is clearly necessary and the monetary value of allotment land vastly outweighs the tiny income they bring.

I've been musing over the story.
Out of the 8 allotments disposed of, only some have been replaced with alternative locations.
There's no message that's reassuring about that.

What is it's 1 out of 8 was replaced? That's 7 lost forever.

If they'd saved 7/8 they'd shout about that wouldn't they?
If they'd got more land available to allotments now they'd should about that now?

If in reality they have made a poor job of protecting allotments we'd get a very bland statement as they gave.