South Lanarkshire Council is expanding food growing sites to the Hamilton area.
At today’s (August 31) Climate Change and Sustainability Committee meeting, the proposals for developing plots in the town were outlined and welcomed by councillors.
The council is legislatively required to increase food growing provisions to meet waiting list demands, and it currently provides six council managed sites.
Additional food growing sites have been developed at Murray Recreation in East Kilbride, Fernbrae Meadows in Cathkin and Lammermoor in East Kilbride and a small site in Strathaven has recently been completed.
There are also ongoing discussions with Clyde Gateway about a potential site at Cuningar Loop in Rutherglen.
Efforts have been concentrated on East Kilbride, Cambuslang and Rutherglen due to higher levels of demand in those areas. However, there is now a notable level of demand in the Hamilton area to develop at least one site.
The council has received 70 applications from residents in the Hamilton areas and a further 29 from surrounding areas. Due to the size of the Hamilton area, the council have proposed to develop two sites – one to cover Hamilton, Blantyre and surrounding area and the other to cover Hamilton, Larkhall and surrounding area.
A site has been identified at Chatelherault which would accommodate around 60 to 90 plot holders depending on who accepts the plot and what size they have requested.
Another site has been identified adjacent to Springwells Hall which would accommodate up to 70 plot holders depending on SEPA restrictions.
Councillor Kirsten Robb (East Kilbride East), asked for the council to communicate with potential plot holders at the earliest of stages.
She said: “Having observed one of the previous allotment sites, I think it would be beneficial to have pre application discussions with the community because there sometimes can be a bit of controversy, so I think those discussions and explanations on the legal duty of the council to make allotments, why this site is considered which will help to develop a bit of dialogue and address any concerns from the start.
“I think it would be important to construct dialogue at the earliest stage about allotment plots.”
This was noted by council officers who were in agreement and will encourage early discussions.
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