Residents of the Great Park estate are set to benefit from new allotments after a planning application received unanimous approval from city planners.
The development will be created on land at the corner of Kingston Park Road and Brunton Lane, west of the Great Park Estate. It will contain 23 full-size plots and 24 half-size plots as well as a community allotment for those who do not get their own plots.
The application would usually be determined under delegated powers, but it was sent to planning committee as the land is owned by the council. It forms part of a section 106 agreement by which the developers of the Great Park scheme agreed to fund 0.5 hectares of allotment land.
Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a landowner as part of the granting of planning permission, often to provide funding for highways or leisure projects as well as affordable housing.
There had been some concern from residents that the allotments would attract anti-social behaviour and "petty" crime, but the report outlined how the site would be managed by Urban Green with a "regular onsite presence".
Coun Stephen Lambert questioned why only Great Park residents would be allowed to have an allotment on the plot. He said: "Whilst welcoming allotments, I find it most puzzling that it seems to be excluding residents of Kingston Park who are just a few yards away.
"It's focused on the residents of Great Park. I thought Section 106 money was for a wider area. There's a couple of other areas nearby and they don't seem to have access."
However, council planners explained that Section 106 money cannot be used to address "existing deficiencies". Furthermore, residents from other areas would be allowed to apply if there were any plots left over after residents from Great Park are offered them.
The plans were unanimously approved by the committee. Reacting to the news that the full size plots would come with a greenhouse and a shed, Coun Doreen Huddart said: "As somebody with an allotment, I get a lot and a table in a polytunnel shared with about 10 other people.
"I find this remarkably generous. It's going to be the luxury side of allotments compared to what the rest of us get. I think I'm going to put my name down for one!"
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