The future of community growing in Northern Ireland

This work has been completed over the last 2 years in association and with input from local council officers in the 11 Councils in NI. The Report recommends that Councils in NI adopt a target level of provision of 1250 sqm (0.3 acres) per 1,000 households of community growing space in their Council area. This could be in the form of allotments, community gardens or community orchards.

This is a really important report for people and places in Northern Ireland. The report’s recommendations could help us all in the UK see what a step change in engaging people in their own well-being looks like. Fantastic piece of work.

Pam Warhurst CBE, Founder of Incredible Edible

There are a number of opportunities on the near horizon to influence policy in Northern Ireland to include more provision for community growing. Local Councils are drawing up on corporate plans and consulting on Community Plans and Local Development Plans (LDPs). The sectoral plans which will lay out the implementation of our Climate Bill are currently being drafted. Local council elections will be happening mid-May, and there may be Stormont Elections in 2023. 

Getting community growing highlighted and properly resourced in these important documents will lay the foundation for a community growing sector in NI which is able to meet future climate, biodiversity and inequalities challenges. 

This work complements progress being made by Community Gardens Ireland in the South of Ireland on influencing the Planning Development Bill, and work in the rest of the UK by Incredible Edible on the Right to Grow Campaign. 

Please see our leaflet of recommendations below for some take-away tips from the report.

Please read our full report, and if you would like to help us make progress with the recommendations in NI policy, please get in touch with [email protected]