Allotments: duty to prepare a food growing strategy - guidance for local authorities

Ministerial Foreword

I am delighted that the legislative framework relating to allotments, set out in Part 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, has now come into force. It confirms our commitment to community growing and to increasing the accessibility of the land to those who wish to grow their own food or to learn and share the experience with local groups. More and more of us want to have the opportunity to grow our own food and I am pleased that this Government is taking action to make this happen.

Growing our own food increases the availability of nutritious and affordable food. It has real benefits for our health, our fitness, our society and our environment. It also contributes to our goal of Scotland becoming a Good Food Nation by enabling people from all walks of life to enjoy and learn about nutritious and healthy food.

The 2015 Act places a number of duties on local authorities with regard to allotments, including a requirement to produce and publish a food-growing strategy. This guidance for local authorities is important because it will help to ensure the development of strong strategies that deliver our aim of increasing the availability of grow-your-own land.

I am confident that in having regard to this guidance when developing their food-growing strategies, local authorities will help to open up the many benefits of allotments and other grow-your-own options to the wider population. I look forward to seeing the positive results this will bring for our communities.

Mairi Gougeon
Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment

November 2018