Green-fingered Belfast residents waiting for a council allotment outnumber the number of plots available by more than three to one.
Belfast City Council is to look at changing its allotment policy after officials said the waiting list of almost 1,000 was overwhelming availability.
Council officers at a City Hall committee meeting last week admitted most of those on the waiting lists for allotments across the city were unlikely to get a plot, which is currently £50 a year for tenants.
At the People and Communities Committee a report revealed that on the most recent count, there were 964 people on the waiting list for the city’s 281 plots.
Belfast Council allotments are let on a yearly tenancy basis, with tenants renewing each year on an indefinite basis.
A council officer told elected representatives: “We have quite a substantial waiting list, and along with the capacity to meet the places we have, and the turnover we have each year, it isn’t sufficient to meet the demand.”
Read more
The officer said the council had readied an “action plan” for councillors to note, with a number of alternatives to improve the allocation of allotments.
At the council’s seven locations, there are eight plots at Albert Drive, Castlereagh, 57 at Ballysillan, 87 at Annadale Embankment, 60 at Belmont, 22 at Blythefield, 25 at Musgrave, Stockmans Lane, and 22 at Whiterock Road.
The waiting lists are at 125 people at Albert Drive, Castlereagh, 65 at Ballysillan, 353 at Annadale Embankment, 205 at Belmont, 22 at Blythefield, 165 at Musgrave, Stockmans Lane, and 29 at Whiterock Road.
The process of awarding plots to members of the public is done through completing an application form.
A customer’s position is dictated by when they submitted their application – meaning it is on a first come, first served basis. When a plot becomes available, the council allocates it to the next person on the waiting list.
The council report states: “The current Belfast City Council waiting list is evidence of a high demand for allotments. It is anticipated that it remains open and the current allocation arrangements remain in place and the waiting list will continue to grow.”
The report suggests several potential options to improve management of the waiting list, including confirmation that those on the waiting list still require an allotment, and passing advice on opportunities to access other growing opportunities, for example at community gardens.
Other options include asking allotment plot holders to confirm that they wish to retain the allotment tenancy agreement, and asking those holding an allotment under tenancy agreement whether they wish to reduce the size of allotment “in the interests of reducing waiting list and increasing participation in growing”.
Other options include a survey of plot holders every two years, and a consideration and review of the criterion used to determine eligibility for allotment spaces.
News Catch Up – Sunday 9 March
Belfast City Council has allocated an average of 22 plots per year since 2014 based on current provision and availability of vacant plots. Forty plots are vacant currently and will be allocated to those on the waiting lists.
The council says there is currently no available budget for increasing its number of allotments, but added that its City and Neighbourhood Services department is currently preparing a bid for a feasibility study looking at the possibility of increasing allotment provision and other community growing opportunities. It will also consider the existing infrastructure at each site.
The council operates warning stages for abandoned and unmanaged allotments. A stage one warning is issued to a plot holder the first time their plot is deemed not up to standards. The plot holder is then given 14 days to inform the council of the reason the plot is at this standard.
If the council does not hear from them in 14 days, they issue a stage two warning and after a further 14 days of no communication a termination letter is issued. After the letter of termination the tenant is given a further period of 14 days to remove any belongings on the plot.
Regarding allotment fees, the council states: “Allotment prices are reviewed annually in line with council scale of charges. The potential (council) allotment income for 2024/25 is £7,815. Any unpaid fees owing and debit is managed in line with relevant council procedures.
“Please note that a full plot per year is currently £50 and a half plot is £26 as per this year’s scale of charges. This is subject to change in the next financial year.”