The UK has lost a significant portion of its natural environment, with the UK’s Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) showing it has just 53% left. The UK is among the most nature-depleted countries globally, placing in the bottom 10% of 240 nations. These losses include:
- 7% of fens
- 97% of species-rich grasslands
- Up to 70% of ancient woodlands
- Up to 85% of saltmarshes
- 2001-2010 A total of 246playing fields had their sale approved under the Labour government.
- 2010-2023: At least 279 school playing fields had their sale approved by the Tory government.
Now the Deput Prime Minister, Angela Rayner has set her sights on allotments. She has given permission for eight allotments to be sold by councils, including sites in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire etc…….and this will just be the beginning.
Figures from the National Allotment Association suggests allotments are still vital for many people today, with one-in-eight of the UK population having no access to a garden, rising to one-in-five in London. About 100,000 are currently on waiting lists for allotments, some waiting decades for a plot
……….And yet the response from the National Allotment Society has been extremely weak. It stated that it hadn’t challenged any of the applications as they had all met the legal threshold with either low take-up of plots or alternative allotment space provided elsewhere.
First of all, it is STILL a loss of green space, and secondly if there is a low take-up advertise the vacant plots, especially in poorer areas with no gardens.
Perhaps the National Allotment Society should follow the example of groups of residents in Liverpool who fought the proposed sale of parts of three parks by the Labour administration……and WON!
