East Hill Farm proposal rejected
We have decided not to move forward with proposals to lease farmland in Portslade to a private allotment company called Roots Allotments.
Their subscription-based allotment proposal differed from our own allotment offering in many ways.
Councillors and council officers visited East Hill Farm earlier this week to discuss potential uses for the site when the existing tenancy expires next year.
We will be looking at alternative options for the site that best support the aims of the City Downland Estate Plan.
The options will consider how the site can increase biodiversity, improve public access and fulfil some of the many objectives in the City Downland Estate Plan.
The Downland Advisory Panel will be consulted on the options for advice.
Sustainable and affordable allotments in the city
Our Allotment Strategy aims to make allotments enjoyable, inclusive, sustainable and affordable for Brighton & Hove residents.
Our next steps to modernise the service include installing a new IT system so that we can better manage our 3,000 allotment tenancies.
The new system would streamline the waiting list and allow residents to check their position online.
We’ve recently managed to fill job roles we were advertising for so we’ll be able to take on more thorough plot inspections, clear unused plots more efficiently and reduce wait times for residents.
To apply for an allotment or for allotment help and advice, visit our allotment webpages.
Improving our own allotment provision
Councillor Tim Rowkins, Chair of the City Environment, South Downs and The Sea Committee, said: “We’ve considered the proposal from Roots Allotments and have decided not to proceed with it.
“Instead, we’ll be focussing on improving our own allotment provision in the city, including reducing waiting lists, modernising our provision to reflect the range of demand, bringing in much-needed income for the council, and of course enabling more of our residents to grow food in a sustainable way.
“We are blessed to have so much agricultural land and we are determined to put it to good use for the good of our city’s food, sustainability and biodiversity goals.”
