Allotments go back to very early times when, for example, the Commissioners of an enclosure of common land may have made an "allotment" of land for the dispossessed. Today things are done differently. For instance, if some of the residents of a parish demand allotment plots (politely of course) and the Parish Council offers vacant plots on one of its sites (if any). If not, the law requires the Parish Council to meet the demand (at least in theory).
The community infrastructure levy (CIL) has sharpened the focus on such provision. Parish councils up and down the land must be jumping for joy at the prospect of getting some of locally generated CIL for their "neighbourhood". We must of course await the regulations to the Localism Act 2011 (which received Royal Asset on 15th November 2011). The Regulations are, hopefully, due out next year,
As an example (of a non-parish council), Norwich City Council appears to be using some expected CIL money for allotments. Whilst planning for 3,000 new homes, they estimate that 500 plots for allotments will be required on their existing 17 sites of about 1,500 plots (see link below).
That is the start of the story!
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/sporting_wish_list_for_norwich_revealed_1_1105956
Another featutre of the localism Act 2011 is the so-called list of land of community value. Will any district council include allotments on its list?
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