GUIDANCE FOR ALLOTMENTS AND COMMUNITY LED GARDENING PROJECTS (DRAFT FOR CONSULTATION) Written on behalf of Welsh Government by CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 1: DIFFERENT MODELS OF ALLOTMENTS AND COMMUNITY GROWING ............................................... 8 Allotments .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Community Allotments ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Community farms ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Community gardens ........................................................................................................................................... 8 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) ........................................................................................................... 9 Community orchards .......................................................................................................................................... 9 Incredible Edible Schemes .................................................................................................................................. 9 Abundance/fruit harvesting schemes ................................................................................................................. 9 Forest gardening ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Garden-share schemes ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Meanwhile gardening ....................................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2: ALLOTMENTS AND THE LAW ............................................................................................................ 11 Brief introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Responsibility for Allotments............................................................................................................................ 11 Use of individual allotment plots ...................................................................................................................... 12 Ending a tenancy on an allotment plot ............................................................................................................. 12 What can be grown on a plot ........................................................................................................................... 12 The size of the plot ........................................................................................................................................... 13 What can be done with the produce from the plot.......................................................................................... 13 Sharing and Transferring the plot ..................................................................................................................... 13 The Provision and Disposal of Allotments ........................................................................................................ 13 Statutory allotments sites ................................................................................................................................. 14 Temporary allotments sites .............................................................................................................................. 14 Privately owned allotments sites ...................................................................................................................... 14 For further information .................................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 3: ALLOTMENT WAITING LISTS; RECORDING AND MANAGING DEMAND ............................................ 16 Allotment Waiting Lists – recording and managing demand ........................................................................... 16 Current PractiCe ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Reconciling different management and recording systems ............................................................................. 16 DATA MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Site record systems ........................................................................................................................................... 18 STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS OF RECORD SYSTEMS ............................................................................. 18 Good Practice ................................................................................................................................................... 25 COMMUNICATION ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Webpages ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 Allotments Strategy .......................................................................................................................................... 27 Dealing With Demand ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Supporting community groups to set up new sites .......................................................................................... 30 Allocating Plots ................................................................................................................................................. 30 What to do if your local authority isn’t meeting demand ................................................................................ 31 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................... 32 Further Reading and Links ................................................................................................................................ 32 Appendix A – allotment policies ....................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER 4: PLANNING GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND GROUPS ........................................................ 1 Finding land for our growing project – bearing planning in mind ...................................................................... 1 Growing food on land – Does this need Planning Permission? .......................................................................... 1 Sheds and other structures – Is planning permission required? ........................................................................ 1 Fencing ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Hard standing areas and access paths ................................................................................................................ 2 Raised beds ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Planning permission is required – What should I do? ........................................................................................ 3 The Planning System in Wales and Settlement Boundaries ............................................................................... 4 Development in the countryside and a landmark planning appeal decision ..................................................... 5 Development in urban and rural areas – minimising the impact – a good practice guide ................................. 7 We have our planning decision – What next? .................................................................................................. 10 Our application has been refused – What now? .............................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 5: LOCAL AUTHORITIES; RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES AND POWERS. EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE .. 12 Context ............................................................................................................................................................. 12 Demand, Management and Promotion ............................................................................................................ 13 Local authorities and community led growing ................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 6: OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS – ADVICE FOR WORKING WITH COMMUNITY GROWING GROUPS .............................................................................................................................................