Community Land Bank update

The Government has officially announced plans to help local people grow their own food, by working with the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) on creating a Community Land Bank.

Communities Secretary John Denham and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn made the announcement as part of the Government’s Food 2030 strategy. If successful, the Community Land Bank could help tackle the rapid rise in demand for land for local food growing, which has put existing allotments under severe strain.

The Community Land Bank, which would act as an independent, not-for-profit agency, would support access to unused land for either temporary or long term gardening use.

FCFCG is now engaged in exploratory discussions to pilot Community Land Bank schemes in several local authority areas. This work has been backed with funding by the Government. Local private and public sector landowners (which could include councils, NHS and private developers) will be asked to work with the Federation to identify possible sites and link them up with community groups looking for land. The scheme would offer support and advice to landowners and tenants over the purchase, sale or leasing of land.

FCFCG Chief Executive Jeremy Iles said: “We are getting a very strong message from the thousands of community groups we work with that people are desperately seeking land for food growing. The Community Land Bank idea is still in its early stages, but it could help change attitudes to land access, fostering cooperation and respect at a local level and allow people to get to grips with growing their own food - it should be good for the wider community and the people involved.”

The Community Land Bank work was one of a raft of measures announced by the government as part of its food strategy. These include plans for so-called meanwhile leases to make it easier for local residents and organisations to set up growing spaces on land that is currently unused or waiting development, such as stalled building sites or sites waiting for planning permission.

The Government has commissioned the Development Trusts Association to prepare standardised meanwhile 'leases' so that organisation can access land while its waiting to be used - while giving the landlord and tenants legal assurances.

Communities Secretary John Denham said: "From guerrilla gardeners to community growers there is a real keenness to combine 40's style frugality and 70's style good life ethics to meet 21st century demands for healthy living, cheaper meals and locally sourced food. More and more people want to grow their own but their efforts can be held up by a shortage of suitable land.

"We are making it easier for community groups and keen gardeners to access the hundreds of acres of un-used land. This will mean communities can grow their own food while brightening up the neighbourhood by turning unloved spaces into fragrant herb gardens and abundant vegetable or flower beds.”

Community Land Bank: Preliminary Research

FCFCG has already conducted preliminary research into the Community Land Bank idea. This demonstrated support for the idea from a broad range of stakeholders. It would also have a useful role in mediating between the suppliers and users of land, especially in negotiating quality leases and ensuring that management issues would be dealt with. This would create security and confidence in the lease process for all.

The research also found that public sector bodies and social landlords would not want to release land purely for private use, but would want the use of the land to fit in with their own objectives, such as health or education.

The research was commissioned in response to a rapid rise in the demand for land for local food growing. Many allotment sites are under strain, with some estimates suggesting that there are now 100,000 people on waiting lists for the current 300,000 plots. In London the wait for a plot could be at least 10 years, in Bristol the wait can be 2–3 years. Even with the growing trend to offer half plots and more rigorous re-allocation of uncultivated plots, demand will continue to outstrip supply.

The need for land for local people to cultivate seems destined to grow further, fuelled by the economic downturn and growing unemployment, as well as increasing concerns over climate change, well-being, health and knowing where your food comes from.

The research study, which included interviews with a diverse range of organisations including land users and land owners, met with strong interest from the public and voluntary sectors, but private sector organisations were reluctant to take part in the process.

More detailed feasibility work and business planning is now taking place, to provide a basis for pilot projects in 2010.

For more details, the executive summary of the research is available to download below:

 Community Land Bank exec summary