YOU can now claim unused council land in Hackney to grow food under new pilot
Hackney Council has announced a new scheme under which groups of borough residents can apply to take over unused council land and turn it into community growing spaces.
The Right To Grow scheme will allow groups of five or more to claim plots of land for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
The eligible sites that the Council have earmarked include roadside verges, vacant green spaces, and land around council buildings. However, the Council's permission will be required first, in order for officers to assess a site's suitability. In addition, Hackney's parks will not be included as part of the scheme.
The first phase of the scheme will involve up to ten applications being granted, with further rounds to follow. While applying is free, groups will have to pay for the costs of building and maintaining the gardens themselves. As the Council recommends for applicants, "Organisations such as Hackney Right to Grow and Capital Growth can provide support with identifying suitable growing spaces, equipment, training and advice".
The scheme has been hatched as part of Mayor Zoë Garbett's 'Who Owns Hackney' campaign - an audit of land use and ownership in the borough that's intended to free up more space for community use, as promised in their manifesto.
The launch is also timed to deal with a long-standing squeeze on allotment space in the borough. It joins a wider Right To Grow movement backed by campaign groups including Hackney Right to Grow and Incredible Edible.
For more information and the chance to apply, click here.
Let's make our borough more green!
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