Allotments and Community Gardens
Would you like the opportunity to grow your own fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers? Local authorities are required by legislation to provide allotment gardens for this purpose through The Allotments Acts of Parliament.
Walsall council currently provides 1373 allotment plots on 34 sites in the borough. As of September 2011 the Greenspace Improvement Service is responsible for the management of Walsall’s Allotment Service and the future development of Community Gardens.
Depending on plot size, annual rent is currently around £11.00 per year to rent (a 50% concession applies for residents over 65 years of age, or those who are unemployed), with additional water charges averaging £6.00 per plot.
Find your nearest allotment using our interactive mapping system Walsall Maps
Over the past few years allotments have seen a revival of interest, with long waiting lists across the country. In common with other areas, allotments in Walsall are in high demand, and the authority is working with local associations to help reduce waiting lists wherever possible. In common with many authorities, many allotment sites have reduced their plot sizes which makes managing an allotment plot easier, and also provides more opportunities for people to grow.
Allotments have far wider benefits than simply providing a place to grow fresh food. The physical and mental health stimulated by growing, and social activities are widely recognised. They are a green haven for wildlife in urban areas providing habitat for many species. Allotments have environmental and economic affects by reducing transportation of foods from far and wide, and allowing gardeners to reduce their spending on fruit and vegetables.
Walsall Council initiated a program of local management of allotments in 1995 when, after consultation with local, national and governmental interested parties. Five areas of the six identified areas currently act as allotments local management associations (LMA), having adopted a constitution and written management arrangements.
Since 1995, 26 of Walsall’s allotment sites have been managed by Local Management Associations (LMA’s) who have an adopted constituion, written management arrangements and are responsbile for the letting of plots and managing waiting lists.
Ten allotment sites are presently managed directly by Walsall Council Green Space Improvement Service.
In July 2007 the council approved the Allotments Strategy 2007–2012 (PDF 102KB) which sets out the way forward for allotments in the borough by providing a framework for consultation and implementation in partnership with the allotment holders representatives.
Links
The following websites provide more information for allotment holders
- Allotment growing
- Allotments UK
- Allotments4all
- National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardeners
- Garden Organic (The Henry Doubleday Research Association)
- Allotments Regeneration Initiative
- The Soil Association
- National Vegetable Society
- Thrive
- Allotments: A plot holders' guide (PDF 742KB)
- Walsall Maps: A borough map showing allotment locations
- BBC gardening
Contact us
If you are interested in taking up an allotment please contact:
Box Office, Sports and Venue Hire
Leisure, culture and lifelong learning
12th floor Tameway Tower
48 Bridge Street
Walsall
WS1 1JZ
Telephone 0845 111 2900
Fax 01922 724065
Email allotments@walsall.gov.uk
You can use our online contact form for general enquiries, compliments and complaints.
This page was last updated on 11 February 2012