8:00am Tuesday 8th September 2009
By Oliver Evans
A NEW allotment is coming to High Wycombe after councillors acted to meet a “desperate” need for plots.
The 108 plot site at Queensway, off Amersham Road in Hazlemere, will be created to meet waits as long as three years, Wycombe District Council cabinet members agreed last night.
They also pledged to look into potential sites as Ashwells in Tylers Green, Castlefield Wood and the Desborough Castle extension.
And members signalled a major change in policy that councillors hope will increase plot numbers further.
The authority – which grants planning permission – will demand developers include allotments as part of housing plans.
It is hoped this will see land used for grow-your-own schemes at Abbey Barn South and Terriers Farm, controversially earmarked for housing by WDC.
Councillor David Carroll said: “People are desperate for allotments.”
A report said there was a “clear under-provision of allotment plots” with 176 waiting for WDC land and more for parish council facilities.
Bassetsbury Lane allotments is closed over contamination fears. The report (see link, bottom of story) says it would cost £45,000 to put right.
Yet councillor Tony Green, who led a review into demand, said the Hazlemere site was “not ideal” as demand is highest in the town.
But he said: “The rationale was to provide some new allotment space quickly.”
And he said of the policy move: “This is quite a change for this council. We now accept that allotment provision is something that should be sought within a site to be developed.
“That hasn’t happened for many years, if ever.”
The council report said the Queenway development is “sufficient to satisfy all existing demand”.
Some would only take up half a plot at the new site, which is owned by the council, the meeting was told.
The cabinet also agreed to spend £20,000 to prepare the site.
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