Allotments: guidance for local authorities

7. Section 120 – Duty to review food-growing strategy 

Relevant Legislation

7.1 Section 120 requires every local authority to review its food-growing strategy. This review must be carried out within 5 years of the date of the publication of the initial food-growing strategy and every five years thereafter. When the local authority changes its food-growing strategy following review, the local authority is required to electronically publish the revised strategy.

Section guidance 

7.2 A local authority may review their food-growing strategy more frequently than every 5 years.

7.3 Reviewing their food-growing strategy will allow the authority to respond to changes in local need and demand. Authorities should take account of relevant factors such as ongoing planning activity including plans for new housing developments, refreshed local plans, or changes to interdependent strategies (e.g. to local health and wellbeing, environmental or social strategies) when revising, or identifying the need to revise, their food-growing strategy. Further guidance relating to relevant local strategies is included at paragraph 9.6 of the section 119 food-growing strategy guidance.

7.4 As part of the review of the food-growing strategy, the local authority should consider whether changes to its strategy are required in order to comply with its duty under section 112, and should generally consider whether it is necessary to increase allotment provision and grow-your-own opportunities within its area.

7.5 When reviewing their food-growing strategies, local authorities should consider steps they have identified or taken to increase provision of allotments and other food-growing spaces, if this has proven necessary.

7.6 Local authorities should carry out adequate consultation when reviewing their food-growing strategies. Further guidance on consultation and engagement is included at paragraphs 9.1 to 9.7 of the section 119 food-growing strategy guidance.