Blackburn, Darwen allotments to be transferred to community

The planned move to hand over the management and maintenance of the smallholdings is set to be approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive board on Thursday night.

A paper by its growth boss Cllr Cllr Quesir Mahmood says: "This report sets out a proposal to asset transfer the management and maintenance of eight allotment sites from the council to formal structured community groups.

"The sites proposed for asset transfer by way of lease are: Broadfold Allotments; Ewood Allotments; Feniscliffe Allotments; Leyburn Road Allotments; Queens Park Allotments; Sunnybank Road Allotments; Teak Street Allotments; and Witton Park Allotments.

"Options for the remaining council-owned allotment site at Burnley Road in Blackburn will be brought forward in a future report to the executive board, once plans for the wider Carl Fogarty Way / Imperial Mill area have been finalised.

The allotments are popular community assets

"The executive board is recommended to approve the asset transfer of the eight statutory allotments by way of long leasehold to formal structured community groups that have pre-existing connections to the relevant allotment site.

"The council’s statutory allotments are a valued community resource which are popular and well-used by the plot-holders.

"It’s recognised that they’re important for health and well-being and have many benefits to residents of all ages.

"The sites are in daily use, and over the years it’s become apparent that the communities which use the sites may benefit from having direct management control.

"In addition, the current ‘two-tier’ management of the sites has become cumbersome and problematic for both the council and the site committees.

"The proposal aims to allow the community organisations to take decisions over the use of the assets for community benefit, and to potentially also use the property as leverage for additional external funding.

"The project is driven by a desire to protect the provision of statutory allotments for the future whilst empowering the community to take ownership of its assets.

"To develop the proposals, a long period of discussion has taken place between the council and the Blackburn and District Allotments Association.

"Many of the site stakeholders are positively engaging in the opportunity to move to self-management.

"Site-specific committees are forming legally recognised groups.

"The committees are made up of devoted volunteers who willingly commit to ensure the allotment provision remains active in the community.

"The council’s tenanted property income will reduce by around £14,000 per year. At the same time, property management and maintenance costs will reduce, allowing the proposal to be cost-neutral."