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FOOD GROWING FRAMEWORK A strategy for developing food growing opportunities in NottinghamFOOD GROWING FRAMEWORK
A strategy for developing food growing opportunities in Nottingham
Discussion draft 1 October 2009
1 SUMMARY
This Food Growing Framework outlines the way in which Nottingham City Council will work to encourage and support food growing in the city over the next ten years. This is expressed in its vision:
Nottingham City Council will provide a range of lifelong food growing opportunities, supporting residents in healthy living and working towards a sustainable environment.
The Food Growing Framework supports a range of local and regional policies and plans and in particular the delivery of the ‘Locally sourced food’ action programme of Nottingham’s Sustainable Community Strategy.
The Framework will have positive impacts on and contribute towards outcomes relating to:
Reducing carbon emissions Producing sustainable food Improving health and reducing health inequalities Supporting community cohesion Providing education, employment and training Improving neighbourhoods
The Food Growing Framework looks at ways in which Nottingham City Council can work to encourage and support more food growing in the city. This is focused on nine interconnected work strands, some of which continue the NCC current work and some which are relatively new.
The Food Growing Framework work strands:
§ Allotments
§ Community Gardening hubs
§ Blooming Neighbourhoods
§ Edible Plants in Public Places
§ Schools and children’s services
§ Growing access to public land
§ Private gardens and land
§ Commercial land and business support
§ Partnership and research
Rather than NCC taking on the primary role of food growing the Food Growing Framework aims to work in three general ways:
Opportunities – providing opportunities to grow food Mechanisms – developing structures and systems to enable food growing opportunities to succeed Inspiration – sharing best practice, celebrating success and provide training and information to support all works strands
Nottingham City Council is not the primary delivery agency for the framework but will work in partnership with a range of individuals and organisations across the whole Food Growing Framework to coordinate monitor and evaluate the development and implementation of food growing opportunities across the city.
2 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE STRATEGY
The need for a strategy
This Food Growing Framework developed from work being undertaken by Nottingham City Council to draw up an Allotment & Community Garden Strategy. This work quickly established that allotments needed to be seen as one of the different ways in which the City Council encourages food growing, and can promote sustainability and healthy lifestyles.
While Nottingham City Council takes an active part in some food growing activities, until now there has been no central point to bring together all the work regarding food growing taking place across the Council. The strategy is the first step in co-ordinating this area of work.
The Food Growing Framework brings together these strands and helps to:
Avoid duplication of work Maximise opportunities for partnership working Signpost residents and others towards the relevant NCC area of work Demonstrate the range of work NCC is undertaking Signpost people to wider food growing opportunities
Overall, the Framework can help to capture the current enthusiasm for growing food which is widespread but often fragmented, and focus it into distinctive areas of work which define what NCC’s leadership role needs to be.
The strategy sets out how Nottingham City Council will provide and support allotments, community gardens, and the growing of food within the City. Before now a strategic process to plan and prioritise need has been lacking
The Strategy has been produced for a number of reasons:
It is an update and extension of the Councils Allotment Charter (1989) ‘Breathing Space’ the strategic framework for Nottingham’s Open and Green Spaces identifies the need for an Allotment and Community Garden
Strategy To support the growing interest and demand regarding food growing opportuniti
Scope
NCC has a statutory duty to provide allotments and allotments will continue to be a main focus of the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Service, but activity developing community gardens and food growing in the city will start to play a more important part in the departments other activities and outcomes.
It is not the intention of the strategy to displace or to disadvantage those organisations already delivering successful food growing projects across the city. Instead its outlook is to compliment existing activities, share good practice and enable a more coherent food growing framework to develop and thrive.
Who is the strategy for?
The strategy is intended to ensure the development and sustainability of food growing opportunities. Used as an action plan for delivery, led by Nottingham City Council, the strategy will help initiate and influence the development of food growing opportunities in Nottingham.
How will the strategy be used?
Implementation of the strategy will be delivered through the supporting action plans developed for each work strand. Nottingham City Council will take the lead in coordinating the delivery of the strategy through an approach that includes direct delivery and provision as well as an enabling role to support a wealth of food growing opportunities.
Action leads responsible for different work strands will seek to be identified to clearly show Nottingham City Council and its partner’s roles in implementing of the strategy.
Not all of the strategies actions are resourced. The strategy will identify where resources are needed and highlights actions that require funding should internal and external funding opportunities become available.
Why develop food growing opportunities?
Behind much of the current interest in growing food in cites there are two broad themes: health and the environment.
On the health side, more and more people are interested in good quality fresh food – especially vegetables and fruit – and how it can be accessed, with an emphasis on ‘grow your own’. Health professionals and others also point to serious concerns about obesity and other forms of illness and the way in which access to fresh fruit and vegetables, along with the physical activity involved in gardening, can have important health benefits.
In broader environmental terms, conventional food production is often based on high energy use, both in the growing of food and in transport. Growing more food in Nottingham for consumption by residents is one way of reducing the carbon footprint of the city by helping reduce ‘food miles’.
In recent years there has been a tremendous upsurge of interest in food growing. This is in response to concerns about food prices, food miles and the environment. It is also because people want better access to good, healthy and affordable food, and to enjoy cultivating beautiful green spaces and meeting local people.
Further information on the challenges and benefits behind these issues can be found below.
3 STRATEGIC CONTEXT INFLUENCING LOCAL FOOD GROWING
National Context
Interest in food growing has expanded rapidly in recent years. Demand for allotments is at a high point (after many years of decline) and the sales of vegetable seeds now outstrip that of flowers. Popular TV programmes about food, cooking and gardening are sometimes seen as the cause of this interest, but in many ways they are themselves a reflection of deeper public concerns about the quality of food, its impact on health, and the environment and challenge of climate change.
Local authorities have a long standing duty to provide allotments for residents, but some have looked at other ways to encourage food growing, flagship examples include London Major Office ‘Capital Growth’ project and Incredible Edible Todmorden as well as research trips to gain ideas and inspiration for successful projects.
§ Food Matters – Towards a strategy for the 21st Century [Central Government policy document]
The government’s vision is a system for food that is more sustainable – economically, socially and environmentally.
‘Food Matters’ recognises that more can be done to help consumers choose safe, healthy, and low environment impact food. In responding to the public interest in food production and provenance it encourages the public sector in supporting allotments and making the best use of unused land with particular reference to the important role that community groups, voluntary organisations and social enterprises can have working on community food issues and supporting activities that promote health eating and sustainable production and consumption.
Diverse and innovative community food projects are increasing access to healthy food, improving understanding of nutrition and regenerating run down areas through food production.
§ Food and climate change
Sustain is the alliance for better food and farming. It advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
An extract below from Sustains website encourages ways in which we can reduce our environmental impact through changing the way we source food.
While the Food Growing Framework itself will not look to influence personal choices on diet, it will provide opportunities for people who want to grow and eat local and seasonal food, with an emphasis on fruit and vegetables.
Case Studies
‘Capital Growth’
The Capital Growth campaign offers practical advice and support to communities around London, helping people get access to land and create successful food growing spaces.
Launched in 2008 the project aims to boost grow your own in the capital by creating 2,012 community food growing spaces by 2012. The scheme, managed by the environment charity, Sustain, now has nearly 100 spaces being cultivated across the capital in a diverse range of places including canal banks, schools, roofs, private gardens open to the community and parks.
Edible Cities US tripIdeas from this research have prompted the strategy to investigate wider food growing opportunities beyond allotments and community gardens.
In 2007 a group, organised by Sustain, visited a range of food growing projects in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York and noted a number of similarities to and differences from urban agriculture initiatives in London, including:
A commercial element to many of the US projects, which is much less common in the UK; A more liberal situation in the US than in the UK to encourage composting, but less willingness than in the UK to include animals in some urban
agriculture projects; Different approaches to fencing and public access to projects, which varied within the US, depending on context; Imaginative and productive ways of growing without access to subsoil, either in raised beds on hard surfaces or, in one case, in hydroponics on a barge;
The trip stimulated a number of ideas for how to promote more food growing in more cities. These include:
Using the many possibilities of urban tree planting to promote traditional varieties of fruit and nuts; Untapping the potential of parks to accommodate some food growing in their grounds; Exploring under-utilised spaces such as derelict council property, private gardens and social housing to grow food; Making use of the abundant buildings in urban areas to grow food on rooftops, up walls and in window boxes; Building on the food growing expertise that already exists in a multicultural community, as well as providing education and training for new growers.
Running alongside this popular groundswell is a range of research and policy documents from central and local government, and independent organisations.
Regional Influences
There are a number of regional plans that have influenced the development of the strategy and that the strategy can help contribute towards.
§ Food for thought: A strategy for improving Greater Nottingham’s Food, Health and Environment
The strategy is intended to create a local integrated approach to food policies and practices that brings together health, environment, economic, cultural and social issues. It aims to coordinate resources from a range of organisations to improve Nottingham’s food, health and environment. The strategy is designed for partners to adopt the parts of the strategy that are relevant to their own areas of work to help meet their won targets.
The main aims of the strategy that the Allotment and Community Garden Strategy can contribute to directly are:
· To stimulate an expansion of the production and consumption of local organic food
· To encourage methods of food production that protects and enhances biodiversity
· To address the issues of social inclusion and ensure that people on a low income have access to healthy affordable food
Indirectly the outcomes of the Strategy will impact on the other key aims that are harder to evidence.
§ East Midlands Food and Health Action Plan
The vision for the Food and Health Action Plan is to improve the health and well-being of East Midland communities through the provision of safe and sustainable healthy food.
Its aim is “To ensure that all residents within the East Midlands have easy access to affordable healthy food through increasing the amount of locally produced food to reduce food mileage and support the local food industry”.
Local Context
To date much of the innovative work on food growing which has taken place in the city has been led by the voluntary sector or other partnerships and organisations. This includes the long standing Stonebridge City Farm in St Anns and the Arkwright Meadows Community Garden, and a number of community organisations are successfully using allotments to deliver community focused food growing activities. [add case study example]
Other local organisations and partnerships include:
· Health & Environment Partnership (HEP).
Improved health is a vital part of a sustainable future. The Health and Environment Partnership in Greater Nottingham strategically identifies and addresses environmental causes of ill health through its networks and projects. HEP supports service development such as increasing energy efficiency in homes and organisations, promoting walking and cycling instead of car use and the consumption of healthy food from sustainable sources. The HEP supported the development of the Food Initiative Group (FIG).
FIG
The Food Initiatives Group (FIG) is a food partnership project based in Groundwork Greater Nottingham run by people interested in promoting healthy, sustainable food. FIG promotes the production and consumption of healthy, safe and affordable food from sustainable sources.
‘Garden to Plate’.
Network of community food growing projects.
Transition Nottingham
Transition Nottingham was established in the summer of 2007 to provide a grassroots response to the problems of peak oil and climate change. They provide support in turning Nottingham into a city that is less reliant on fossil fuel energy and is a better place for people live.
Policy in Nottingham
§ Sustainable Community Strategy 2020
The Sustainable Community Strategy 2020 (SCS) sets the overall strategic direction and long term vision for the economic social and environmental wellbeing of the City of Nottingham up to the year 2020. To achieve its vision the SCS sets out 6 strategic priorities which will be delivered through the themed partnerships of One Nottingham, the city’s Local Strategic Partnership:
1. World Class City: Develop Nottingham’s international standing for science and innovation, sports and culture
2. Neighbourhood Nottingham: Transform Nottingham’s Neighbourhoods
3. Family Nottingham: Ensure that all children and young people thrive and grow up to achieve in education, training and employment
4. Work in Nottingham: Tackle poverty and deprivation by getting more people in to good jobs
5. Safer Nottingham: Reduce crime the fear of crime and anti social behaviour
6. Healthy Nottingham: Improve health and wellbeing
Whilst the food growing framework will contribute towards a number of the SCS objectives, of particular significance is in relation to strategic priority 6: Improve health and well-being, and the element of the Action Programme on locally sourced food:
“We will encourage the sourcing of locally grown food for the city, drawn from Nottingham’s agricultural hinterland as well as gardens and allotments in the city itself, including every school. This will reduce the carbon footprint of our consumption and contribute to healthier eating.”
§ Council Plan
The themes and key priorities of the NCC Council Plan 2009-2013 have recently been revised to reflect the priorities of the SCS (see above).
§ Breathing Space
Breathing Space looks to establish a better balance for open and green space provision alongside community needs and aspirations. It has an aim over the next 10 years to:
§ Provide City residents and visitors with quality open and green spaces.
§ Enable people to become more involved in open and green space planning, development and management.
§ Improve co-ordination of resources to raise standards and increase satisfaction of the service.
§ Work with local communities to develop and create open and green spaces that are safe and accessible.
§ Protect open and green spaces now and into the future by raising environmental sustainability, promoting bio-diversity, and supporting wildlife.
§ Develop open and green space to provide opportunities for mitigation and adaptations for ‘climate change’.
§ To ensure adequate accessible open and green space provision exists through guiding and informing City Development and planning policy
This food growing strategy will align with Breathing Space in helping achieve its aims by focusing on some of the key principles identified.
§ Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Our joint health and wellbeing strategy outlines how the City Health and Wellbeing Partnership and cross-sector partners in Nottingham can work together to improve the health of everyone, with the result that people feel well and live longer, businesses lose fewer working days and our health and care services experience less pressure
§ PPG17/Area Commentaries
The FGF has been developed alongside work by Nottingham City Council to audit all its open space and to draw up standards of provision: how much space needs to be provided, where it should be, and what level of quality it should have. This work links in with:
· Central Government guidelines (Planning Policy Guidance 17)
· The emerging Local Development Framework – or ‘local plan’
· The three Strategic Regeneration Frameworks (SRF) which between them cover the whole of the City
4 STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSULTATION
An Allotment and Community Garden Strategy Working Group was formed to develop the draft strategy to a working document that represents the City Council’s vision for allotments, community gardens, and food growing opportunities. It brings together NCC departments, allotment holders and other key stakeholders and is chaired by Cllr Dave Trimble.
The roles and responsibilities of the Group include:
· Looking at and discussing progress reports on the development of the strategy
· Consider in more detail key proposals in the strategy
· Set up sub groups to examine complex or controversial issues
· Make sure that all relevant organisations are consulted and that there is a consensus on the proposals
5 APPROACH
CROSS CUTTING AIMS
The Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) has three cross cutting aims: Aspiring, Green, and Fair. The Food Growi
OPPORTUNITIES - MECHANISMS - INSPIRATION
The Food Growing Framework looks at ways in which Nottingham City Council can work to encourage and support more food growing in the city. This is focused on a number of work strands, some of which continue NCC current work, and some of which are relatively new.
Rather than NCC taking on the primary role of growing food, it aims look to work in three general ways:
OPPORTUNITIES
NCC will provide opportunities for individuals and organisations to grow food. The main way of doing this will be in NCC’s role as a land owner and land provider: of allotments, parks, commercial land, school grounds and housing land. NCC will aim to provide greater access to more land for more people to grow food. In some work strands NCC will also aim to provide opportunities in the form of financial support (money or in kind).
MECHANISMS
While there is a lot of enthusiasm - locally and nationally - for the idea of growing food, this isn’t always matched by the organisational system or structures to actually get things started and then keep them going.
The Food Growing Framework itself is one way in which NCC can provide organisation and structure. Within each work strand there are specific programmes to establish or support food growing, linked to NCC officers and resources. On a detailed level, the ‘mechanism’ may be a form of lease agreement or way of communicating messages so that the interest and enthusiasm of a potential food grower can be put into action.
INSPIRATION
Inspiration for food growing can happen in many forms: direct personal experience or through TV programmes and the web. While this general inspiration is important at current levels it needs to be sustained so that food growing in Nottingham makes a significant impact over the next decade. Activity across all the work strands will be inspirational, and the successes - and failures - can be shared.
For many people there is also a potential skills gap: their interest and desire to grow food may not match their experience and this can lead to disappointment and giving up. The Food Growing Framework will provide training and information across all work strands.
ng Framework will use these to guide priorities because they have close connections to many of the issues and actions in the Food Growing Framework.
FAIR
The challenges of inequality faced by Nottingham are reflected in food and health. Some people in the city have less access to fresh food and are more affected by illness related to diet and lack of exercise. They may have less access to green spaces or a good quality environment. In practical terms: some people have bigger gardens than others!
The FGF will contribute to creating a fairer Nottingham by, for example:
Prioritising opportunities (resources and facilities) such as new allotment sites or community hubs in areas where there is greatest need. Making sure that the work to inspire people gets the message across to all sectors of the community, and that people who are already ‘in the know’ don’t
get better access to resources. Developing projects to specifically support people who are in the greatest nee
GREEN
As a whole, the Food Growing Framework will make a very green contribution to the future of Nottingham. It will reduce the carbon footprint of the city and improve the environment and bio-diversity. However, it’s important to recognise that some forms of food growing might have a more negative impact. For example: crops like tomatoes or out-of-season vegetables grown in heated greenhouses using fossil fuels, fertilizers and mechanical irrigation systems may be ‘locally sourced’ but can have a higher level of carbon emissions than crops grown in warmer countries and transported in to Nottingham.
The Food Growing Framework will therefore not support food growing initiatives which lead to an overall increase in carbon emissions .The Research strand of the Food Growing Framework will look to develop clear ways of measuring this.
The Food Growing Framework will prioritise and support initiatives that have the highest impact on reducing carbon emissions e.g.:
Locating facilities so that they can be reached by public transport, cycling or walking Reducing the amount of mains water used in food growin
ASPIRING
The Sustainable community Strategy as a whole looks to ‘break the cycle of poverty in this city. We want our children to grow up with higher aspirations and ambitions for the future’ [SCS Forward – Cllr Jon Collins].
The knowledge and skills needed for food growing are often seen as things which have been lost to recent generations, but many young people are now enthusiastically involved in growing food at home, in school, or through community projects. For all young people, knowledge about food growing and the experience of eating fresh fruit and vegetables is an essential first step towards a lifelong pattern of healthy eating. For some younger people, working with plants and being outdoors can be a more positive kind of education that the formal classroom.
FGF will….
Look to support initiatives involving young people Links to older generation Green apprenticeships, outdoor education, training Business developmen
6 WORK STRAND SUMMARY
The approach adopted to deliver the strategies aims is centred on a Food Growing Framework, which identifies nine work strands. Each work strand has a specific role and character, but all of them contribute to the FGF as a whole.
Strand 1: Allotments
Nottingham has a long tradition of allotments, and the City Council has a statutory duty to provide them. Currently over 3000 individual plots are available to rent and can be used for high yielding fruit and vegetable crops or more informal leisure gardens. Working within the context of allotment law the strategy will aim to maximise the use of plots and improve their condition.
Strand 2: Community Gardening Hubs
Support and encourage the development of a network of ‘community garden centres’ across Nottingham. Stonebridge City Farm and Arkwright Meadows Community Garden are existing sites which provide examples of what can be achieved. Each site will encourage food growing within its own land and in the wider local neighbourhood, providing practical examples and acting as resource with information and training. Hubs will be independently managed by community based organisations on a formal and long term basis. NCC will recognise sites through the planning process, provide support and in most case the land.
Strand 3: Edible Plants in Public Places
Using edible plants such as fruit trees and bushes, vegetables and herbs in public open spaces owned and maintained by NCC. These can include parks, playgrounds and street planting. The aim of this strand is to inform and inspire rather than achieve high crop yield.
Planting can be incorporated as informal landscape, or designed displays (e.g. Nottingham in Bloom schemes). Within a number of larger parks kitchen gardens could be created as display areas.
Strand 4: Blooming Neighbourhoods
A wide range of community gardens or neighbourhood gardening projects exist in Nottingham. Most are informal and may focus on ornamental display, but edible plants are becoming more common. NCC supports these initiatives at present through Nottingham in Bloom.
Strand 5: Growing access to public land
A new initiative. NCC will develop a ‘letting agency’ role to allow greater public and community access to grow food on land owned by NCC (and other public bodies). Suitable land will be identified, and then matched to people or organisations wanting to use it. Appropriate leases or licenses will be issued, generally on a short term basis but with some options to continue if the land use is successful.
Strand 6: Schools and children’s services
All NCC schools (and other children’s services buildings and projects) will be encouraged to grow some food within their own grounds, to link with local allotments or hubs, and to have trained and supported staff.
Strand 7: Private gardens and land
The Food Growing Framework overall will look to inspire individuals to use their own gardens, yards or balconies to grow food, and it will provide information, training and events to support and encourage this. Advice will also be available to private land owned by business and institutions on how their land could be used.
Strand 8: Commercial growing and Business Support
The Food Growing Framework will look at opportunities to support local food production in a variety of ways including: the use of NCC owned commercial/agricultural land; supporting local business (growers and local food processing), supporting farmers markets and community purchasing; through procurement (e.g. NCC schools); and as a planning authority through the protection of food growing areas in the city.
Strand 9: Research and Partnership
NCC will continue to work with other organisations which also have an interest in supporting local food growing, healthy eating, and sustainable development.
NCC will initiate and collaborate in research work to look at the potential for food growing in the city, and to assess the value and impact of the Food Growing Framework.
7 MAKING IT HAPPEN
Action Plan
The food growing framework aims will be delivered through detailed action plans related to each strand.
10 Year Timeline Tree - Priorities
Year 1-3 - Roots
Year 4-6 - Shoots
Year 7-10 – Fruits
Strategy Delivery Roles
Resources
As a 10 year plan the strategy is aspirational in what it wants to achieve. The strategy [will] identifies priorities that it will work on in the roots phase of the delivery. Strands of the food growing framework which are new to the Council in some cases are un-resourced. As future priorities are identified at review stages and as development and needs change the balance of resources may be re-directed accordingly. In addition the strategy identifies the need to secure resources to meet the needs of the strategy through partnership, external funding or other means suitable and available at the time.
Monitoring and evaluation
The success of the strategy will be monitored through quarterly strategy group meetings with reviews scheduled to take account of developments and changing needs.
Quarterly Strategy Group meetings will report on the progress of the aims evidencing outputs and contribution to wider outcomes.
The Strategy Working Group will undertake the following to ensure the success of the strategy:
§ Implement the strategies action plan
§ Source resources to help deliver the strategy
§ Review the strategy and action plan
§ Celebrate the strategies success and achievements
WORK STRAND 1: ALLOTMENTS
Aim: Continue to provide and improve on Nottingham’s long standing allotment tradition.
Background:
The provision of allotments by NCC is the work strand which has the longest history within the Food Growing Framework and which is well established locally and nationally. Since the 19th century allotments in Nottingham have provided food growing opportunities for a diverse variety of people, and remain the most important way for residents (especially those on low income or without private gardens) to access land to grow enough fruit and vegetables to fed a family.
The demand for allotments has increased significantly in recent years and is one of the clearest indicators that residents across the city are looking to increase the level of food growing. Initiatives such as the St Anns Allotments Restoration Project have raised the profile of allotments and shown the potential for bringing in additional resources.
However, this interest comes after many years of decline and low take up of plots, and the majority of allotment sites need improvement, while some areas of the city have very little local provision.
Work strand summary:
Continue to provide and improve allotments in Nottingham
1. Provide enough allotments
2. Improve the quality and condition of sites
3. Secure resources
4. Support community management
5. Promote and celebrate allotment gardening 6. Deliver a high quality allotment service
Provide enough allotments
· Develop a provision standard (number of plots, location)
· Retain and protect viable sites
· Create new sites
· Change the use of underused sites
Improve the quality and condition of sites
Draw up management & maintenance plans for all sites Implement site improvements Establish a high quality maintenance system
Support community management
Develop links with existing allotment associations Provide leasehold and management agreements Introduce new forms of partnership management for small sites Liaise with direct let tenants
Secure resources
Draw up detailed budget Utilise NCC resources Work in partnership and secure additional funding
Promote and celebrate allotment gardening
Publicise and encourage take up Operate an effective waiting list and letting system Celebrate, research and archive allotment use and culture
Deliver a high quality allotment service
Implement new tenancy agreement Provide excellent customer service Ensure full compliance with legal and policy requirements Monitor, review and update the Allotment Strategy Employ and support staff to implement the above
The work strand action plan provides more detail on these points with a timetable and outputs and outcomes of delivery.
Delivery:
Overall responsibility for delivery lies with the NCC Allotment Service, but over 70% of allotment plots in the city are now on sites which are self managed by allotment associations on long term leases.
Resources:
Existing resources are in place for Allotment Officers, with a revenue budget for maintenance etc. Significant further resources will be required to carry out improvement works (and potentially regenerate derelict sites or create new ones).
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
NCC has a statutory duty to provide allotments, and there are a wide range of laws which define this role. These give protection to the allotment tenant – and to the site they are on – while also defining the use of allotment gardens. Under the 1922 act an allotment garden is defined as being ‘wholly or mainly cultivated by the occupier for the production of vegetable or fruit crops for consumption by himself or his family’.
The word ’allotment’ is of course now used by people in a much wider way, and this is worth bearing in mind through the work of the Food Growing Framework. While many people and organisations may express interest in ‘having an allotment’, for some this may actually mean they want a vegetable patch or other place to grow food (perhaps on their own land).
Recent years have also seen some existing allotments in Nottingham being used by community projects or put to alternative uses. While this often brings valuable benefit it can push the limits of allotment law and mean that residents are less able to access an allotment. The Food Growing Framework will look to clarify the use of allotments, and as a whole aim to increase the options for food growing on the most appropriate form of land.
WORK STRAND 2: ‘COMMUNITY GARDENING HUBS’
Aim: Support the development of a network of community gardening hubs
Background:
The network of community gardening hubs outlined in this work strand make up a key element of the ‘inspirational’ role of the Food Growing Framework. While many of the smaller community gardens can play an important neighbourhood role they do not generally have the resources to accommodate a range of visitors, offer allotments or projects based on allotment sites and have limitations for public access.
Community gardening hubs will be places where people can go and….
§ SEE food being grown
§ Have a chance to GROW food
§ LEARN how to grow food
§ EAT local food
§ CELEBRATE
§ Get INFORMATION and advice
§ obtain SUPPLIES (seeds, plants, etc)
§ get INVOLVED with the management and running of the community garden
Some areas of Nottingham already have projects that meet this description, but most parts of the city lack this kind of facility. In order to co-ordinate its use of resources and to provide support across the city, NCC will look to support one ‘hub’ in each of the nine Areas of the city. However, NCC will not be directly setting up or running the Hubs, so for any projects to be set up and successful it will need community support and ownership within the Area.
Adopting this work strand as part of the Food Growing Framework will help to give clarity to the many organisations and individuals who have already expressed interest in establishing projects like this.
Work strand summary: develop a network of community gardening hubs across Nottingham – with one in each of the nine Areas of the city. Each ‘hub’ will provide hands on food growing opportunities, education, and inspiration for the local community.
Definition/description of community gardening hub:
Size at least 0.1 hectares – or to accommodate functions as below Open for public access at least 20 hours per week Opportunities for members of the public to be actively involved in growing plants To be managed by a community group or have opportunities for local people to be involved in the management Significant amount of the garden used for food growing and production Have facilities for visitors (shelter, toilets) Be DDA compliant A ‘stand alone’ site – or have direct public access to the community garden if part of a larger site Adequate access To run a programme of educational or training activities Sell or distribute garden supplies and locally grown food Have opportunities to eat food - a café or at events Possibly have livestock i.e. be a form of city farm.
At present (August 2009) there are two projects in Nottingham which meet this definition:
Arkwright Meadows Community Garden (in Bridge ward – Area 8) Stonebridge City Farm (in St Anns ward – Area 6)
What role will Nottingham City Council play?
As noted, it isn’t the role of Nottingham City Council to directly set up and run a network of hubs, it can only support and encourage them. They can only be set up and run successfully if the local community wants them, and if there are people – especially volunteers – willing to get involved. While the definition/description in this proposal outlines the kind of projects NCC is looking to support, it should still allow for local variety.
The role of NCC could be to: Consult with local Areas to find out if there is support for a hub in the Area, to identify possible sites, and issue lease or agreements. NCC officer time could be allocated to support the overall hub network, individual hubs, and co-ordinate the work of other NCC departments to support the hub network. NCC could provide a small amount of direct financial support and/or work to secure further funding and resources.
Delivery:
NCC Allotment & Community Garden Officers can play a role in initial co-ordination and consultation (along with officers from Neighbourhood management etc). Key partners are likely to be:
A number of community growing organisations which currently meets under the umbrella of ‘Garden to Plate’ Existing Area based partnerships trusts e.g. Partnership Council in Area 4 New organisations which are likely to be set up specifically to run individual community gardening hubs A support network of growers and training organisation
Resources:
No resources currently allocated for new hubs. (Arkwright Meadows Community Garden and Stonebridge City Farm have secured some funding for their work.)
Outputs & outcomes:
Continuation of Arkwright Meadows Community Garden and Stonebridge City Farm Creation of up to 7 new hubs Training and events Employment Volunteer and community involvement Food growing opportunities Green Pennant etc Neighbourhood improvemen
** Planning Note: ‘Allotments & Community Gardens’ are types of open space which NCC has to identify under PPG17. The above definition of a ‘community gardening hub’ is proposed as the definition of ‘community garden’ in this context.
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
The hubs obviously have food growing areas, but they may not in themselves deliver a high volume of crops, especially if they are used for training etc. However, they could play a role in the distribution of food from other growers (through sales, events, cafes etc), and the hubs will play a crucial role in providing skills and inspiration so that people can go on to grow food on allotments, in private gardens, or via other community projects.
WORK STRAND 3: EDIBLE PLANTS IN PUBLIC PLACES
Aim: Introduce edible and fruiting plants into public open spaces.
Background: Nottingham City Council owns and maintains a large amount of ‘public open space’. This includes green areas such as parks and playgrounds, sports areas, wildlife corridors, and cemeteries, along with street spaces and squares.
These spaces are generally open to the public free of charge and are used by thousands of residents. The landscaping of these areas, the way in which they are designed and planted, is generally ‘ornamental’ and based on long standing traditions of what public parks should look like and how they should be used.
There is however a great opportunity to use some or part of these spaces to introduce edible and fruiting plants as a very direct way of providing inspiration – and free food! – for City residents. This process has already begun and many parks contain fruiting trees. During the Second World War ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign sections of formal parks were often converted to vegetable plots and while this style of growing can be a very direct way of introducing food growing, edible and fruiting plants can also be ornamental and attractive, as well as beneficial to wildlife.
Work strand summary: Increase the amount of edible and fruiting plants used in public open space owned and maintained by Nottingham City Council, such as parks, playgrounds and in street spaces.
Deliver this by integrating the work strand into:
1. Long term design and maintenance of open spaces
2. Nottingham in Bloom planting schemes
3. Specific display gardens
Long term design and maintenance of open spaces
All NCC owned open space is designed and maintained in some form, with decisions being made on what plants to be used and how they will be maintained. Larger parks have management plans to guide this. Edible plants can be introduced as part of the design of new open spaces, to replace existing or old plants or to add to existing planting. This part of the work strand will be relatively low maintenance, and may best suit trees and other perennial plants, perhaps in a wild or natural style.
Nottingham in Bloom planting schemes
The very successful Nottingham in Bloom planting schemes tend to be in high profile or publicly visible locations, and traditionally used colourful bedding plants. Some perennial planting is used, but the majority is annual. There is scope to introduce edible planting, using the colours and shapes of vegetables, herbs and fruits, both as ‘spot’ plants in mixed beds and stand alone examples. Because some of the Bloom displays are on traffic islands and along busy roads, the edible plants will perhaps be illustrative rather than productive crops.
Specific display gardens
Some of the larger parks in Nottingham have areas which could be used for specific edible garden displays, perhaps in a slightly separated or protected area. These give the opportunity to grow and display fruit and vegetables in more traditional styles: allotment, kitchen garden, potager etc. These could be used for informal or formal visits and educational work, as well as for casual visitors. Community groups could take on the planning and maintenance of these sites.
If there is sufficient support from the local community, small parts of parks could be used as a community garden, looked after by local residents or friends of groups.
Timeline Priority:
Some of this work is currently underway and will be continued throughout the lifespan of the strategy.
Delivery:
This work strand is not aiming to produce high yields of crops: inevitably some of the food will be picked before it is ripe and some people will help themselves to the crops. It’s purpose has a more inspirational and educational focus i.e. to give Nottingham residents a very public demonstration of what edible and fruiting plants look like. A large part of this work stream can be delivered directly by NCC: the design and planting of public open spaces through the Parks Development Officers and the Horticultural Officers, and maintenance incorporated into long term contracts.
Resources:
Much of this strand could be combined within existing roles and areas of work. Staffing and resources are currently in place within NCC:
Park Development Officers
Nottingham in Bloom
Horticulture staff
Budgets for plants and grounds maintenance
Park Rangers - for events and work with community groups
The role of NCC in this area will be greatly enhanced by community and voluntary sector activity. Some voluntary project (e.g. ‘Sprout’ in Area 4) are already supporting fruit tree planting in public places and the Parks Development Officers and Rangers encourage Friends groups and public involvement. The planting and maintenance of display areas in parks would give a very strong opportunity for community involvement, and voluntary groups may be able to take on formal responsibility for these.
Outputs & outcomes:
Fruit trees planted in public open spaces Display gardens created and maintained Awards and achievement - Bloom awards, Green Pennant, Green Flag Number of volunteers/residents involved Improved neighbourhoods Increased public awareness and access to edible and fruiting plant
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
The ‘Edible plants in public places’ work strand is primarily a form of Inspiration rather than a high yielding vegetable production system. It will provide a taster for a range of other work strands such as growing in private gardens, community gardening hubs, blooming neighbours and allotments as well a community involvement element that spans a number of strands.
This work strand is however distinct from hubs and blooming neighbours in that it is based on public open space with free access – including access to the crops!
WORK STRAND 4: BLOOMING NEIGHBOURHOODS
Aim: Support a variety of small scale community gardens across Nottingham, through the Nottingham in Bloom initiative.
Background:
There are many different definitions and examples of community gardens. The ‘Hub’ work strand of the Food Growing Framework looks at the role of larger projects with a food growing emphasis, but ‘community gardens’ can be collections of pots and planters which a group of neighbours look after on their street or an area in a residential centre or a hospital garden maintained by volunteers. Many of these smaller gardens are ornamental and mainly use flowers and shrubs: a community garden is not necessarily for food growing. However, some of the projects are also using edible plants, both for their ornamental value and for food production.
The majority of these small projects work independently of NCC, but in recent years Nottingham in Bloom has given them support, though its ‘Blooming Neighbourhoods’ competitions and with donations of tools and seeds along with advice. This has helped Nottingham’s success in the Britain in Bloom contest, and in 2008 the city was awarded the highest national award of ‘Champion of Champions’. In 2009, the focus for Bloom was on neighbourhoods, and over 80 individual projects entered the Blooming Neighbourhoods competition and received support.
Work strand summary: Support small scale community garden and neighbourhood projects across Nottingham, and encourage the use of edible and fruiting plants, through the Nottingham in Bloom initiative.
Timeline Priority:
In general terms this work strand has been in place for a number of years - with more edible plants being introduced by volunteers themselves. Work will continue from 2010
Delivery:
The main NCC element of this work strand will be delivered by the Nottingham in Bloom team, (supported by other staff from Parks & Open Spaces) but the real work will of course be done by the neighbourhood and community garden volunteers!
Resources:
Bloom resources in place/anticipated
Additional NCC support- e.g. neighbourhood management?
Health / active communities and NCH
Outputs/ outcomes:
Neighbourhood improvements Community involvement Number projects in Nottingham in Bloom Green Pennants Amount of seeds, tools etc distributed.
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
There are many definitions and varieties of ‘community gardens’ and this work strand has many connections to rest of the Food Growing Framework. Key characteristics of the ‘Blooming Neighbourhood’ projects however are that generally they:
i) Include a higher proportion of ornamental plants
ii) Have a less formal organisation structure and generally do not have a lease or tenancy agreement.
This makes them different from allotments, the ‘Hubs’, or projects using NCC land under the ‘Land Letting’ work strand. ‘Blooming Neighbourhood’ projects are unlikely to produce high food yields, and their role is much more in terms of inspiration: for both participants and their neighbours. The large number of projects across Nottingham, and the high level of community involvement make it important to recognise them as part of the Food Growing Framework.
Competitions
‘Competitions’ can have a valuable role in promoting and celebrating food growing activity. While many people grow for their own pleasure and have little interest in the results being judged by others, having the best plot can be a real motivation for some gardeners. Perhaps more importantly, a competition linked to some form of show or presentation can be a focus for publicity and celebration, and bring together people who would normally be working on their – it’s a chance to share experiences, ideas, and encouragement.
Options for promoting and celebrating food growing projects could include:
A specific food growing category within Nottingham in Bloom Blooming Neighbourhoods (which could include food growing community projects) Continuation of the NCC allotment competition – for sites and individual plots Events organised by the community gardening hubs
WORK STRAND 5: GROWING ACCESS TO PUBLIC LAND
Aim: Develop new ways of providing community access to publicly owned land
Background:
Other work strands in the Food Growing Framework look at food growing on land owned by NCC, land which is public open space, allotments, school grounds, or available for commercial rent. But there are significant amounts of land which could be described as under-used’ or ‘left-over’.
Typically this includes:
Land which forms part of a housing estate and which has been landscaped as grass, but which is little used by residents. Land which is being held for future alternative uses, but is currently empty. Open space which is difficult to use or maintain, and may have become overgrown and effected by fly typing etc.
Many of these spaces could be suitable for food growing, as forms of allotments or community gardens; especially in areas of the city were there is a shortage of allotments or other growing spaces. This would not only increase the area of food growing in the city, but could also improve the quality of local neighbourhoods by maintaining neglected land.
At present there are no mechanisms in place to bring together potential growers with available land. The land may be owned different departments within NCC, and there isn’t a single point of contact where members of the public and community groups can find out what might be available. There is no strategy or planning document to say which pieces of land could be used.
There are also no clear legal mechanisms in place to guide how the land could be used. While NCC might want to encourage use of land it also needs to be sure that the land doesn’t become neglected or mi-used, and on temporarily available land may need to take the land back within the necessary ownership of property rights.
Work strand Summary:
Establish a land matching agency to enable areas of NCC land which has the potential to be used for food growing (for either temporary or long term use) with potential growers / communities that wish to improve neighbourhoods and local food provision.
Identify suitable land and resolve any potential legal/planning issues Develop a range of legal framework agreements (lease, licenses, tenancy or service level agreement) to manage use of this land. Promote the availability of identified land and match with growers
A range of ‘growers’ are likely to be interested in access to the land, such as:
· Individuals who want to grow for their own use (especially if they have no access to an allotment)
· Informal community groups
· Community groups, charities, social enterprises with formal status
· Small businesses.
The form of lease agreement needs to reflect this diversity of growers, how the land is to be used and future plans for the site. For example, the agreement might stipulate ‘annual plants only’ in a location where food growing might only be planned for one growing season. In other locations sheds and other site facilities might be allowed on condition that they are taken away or that they contribute to the long term future of the site.
Agreements might include:
· Temporary allotments (long established within allotment law and provision)
· Service level agreement: access is given to the land at law or no cost in return for it being used and maintained in a way which also benefits the community.
· Lease/ licence: commercial or semi commercial agreement with rent paid by the grower.
Timeline Priority:
Initial work will be to establish what land is available, and draw up legal agreements etc. One or two year pilot project with a range of growers and different agreements would be a useful way of dealing with any potential problems.
NCC focus would begin with NCC property, but the work strand could eventually also cooperate with other owners of ‘public land’ e.g. health authorities, registered social landlords etc.
Delivery:
This is a new area of work, although the Allotment Service and other NCC officers already receive requests and enquiries about access to land for food growing. Information on land ownership is held by Property - who would normally rent out land on a commercial basis as part of the NCC property portfolio. However, most of the land covered by this work strand is likely to be held by other NCC departments (or managed by Nottingham City Homes) as non-commercial property.
Delivery of this work strand should be co-ordinated by the Parks & Open Spaces section of NCC.
Resources:
No resources are currently allocated. Officer time will be required to implement this work strand, and in some cases capital funding to make sites safe and secure. Initially it is proposed that this could be explored through a Food Growing Framework partnership and will need a champion identified, potentially at neighbourhood level, to progress the concept.
Outputs & Outcomes
The ‘list of land’ – database etc
Increase the amount of land being used for food growing.
More people/ organisations having access to land
Assist in the housing association community engagement agenda.
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
This work strand has the potential to significantly increase the amount of land available for food growing in Nottingham. Production can be medium scale (for home use) or community/ commercial. While some sites will be publicly visible (and therefore inspirational) the legal tenancy agreements/ will generally give access rights to the grower rather than public visitors.
WORK STRAND 6: SCHOOLS, CHILDRENS SERVICES & LIFELONG LEARNING
Aim: encourage food growing in school grounds
Background:
One of the key themes of the Sustainable Communities Strategy is the importance of early intervention and support for young people. This is recognised as essential to help break cycles of poverty in Nottingham and raise aspirations. Work with schools is therefore an important element of the Food Growing Framework: providing young people with the experience of growing and eating fresh fruit and vegetables and with the skills to make this a lifelong habit.
A lot of work has already started in this field, both locally and nationally. The quality of food in school dinners is improving and local schools take part in ‘5 a day’ initiatives to encourage children to eat fresh fruit. A number of schools in Nottingham already have vegetable patches in their grounds, and others have links to local allotments (Ellis Guildford, Scotholme). Much of this work has been initiated by the schools themselves, perhaps working with the voluntary sector or with the Park Ranger team, and also
Curriculum Services. Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a major programme of school building and redevelopment, and food growing areas are being incorporated at the design stage on some sites.
Challenges still remain. In recent years the National Curriculum has tended to closely define what is taught in schools, and food growing has not been a clear part of this.
In some cases, there is a skills gap amongst teaching and other school staff. Projects may have worked successfully on the enthusiasm and skills of an individual staff member, but then struggle to continue if they leave. And there is still the annual issue of how to look after crops during the school holidays, and how to plan work which goes from one school year into the next.
Work strand summary: Encourage food growing in all schools across Nottingham, so that every school has:
A food growing area within its own grounds
Links to other projects such as allotments or hubs
Staff who are trained and supported
How this work strand fits in with the rest of the Food Growing Framework:
Although schools some times have to work as ‘closed’ communities (and cannot allow open public access) this work strand will – in the long term – have an impact across Nottingham. Its success is also likely to depend on developing links to other work stands such as the community gardening hubs to provide inspirations and support. The potential involvement of an older generation of gardeners and allotment holders can break down inter generational barriers. Once children become interested in food growing, this will have an influence on their parents and carers, and the wider community. In the short term this work strand may not bring high food production but it will be key for inspiration.
WORK STRAND 7: PRIVATE GARDENS AND LAND
Aim: Encourage residents, business, and other organisations to grow food on their own land
Background:
While many residents might want an allotment, or be involved in community projects, some of the most productive forms of food growing are in peoples own gardens. Plants can be easily cared for, weeded, watered, and then picked and eaten! While some people have fairly large home gardens, others use a backyard with pots and planters.
It clearly isn’t the role of NCC to plan or control the way residents use their own gardens, but the Food Growing Framework can encourage and inspire people who have an interest and choose to grow food at home.
A large amount of land in Nottingham is also privately owned by institutions or business, and this could be used for food growing in a number of ways:
Mini-allotments for use by staff
Edible landscaping for staff and visitors
Allowing community access to use land
Work strand summary:
Encourage individuals and organisations to grow food on their own land by inspiring individuals and supporting organisations
Inspiring individuals
Many of the other work strands in the Food Growing Framework will help to inspire individuals such as visits to community gardening hubs, being part of a Blooming Neighbourhood or seeing the impact on children in the local school. This work strand also brings together the main programme of information and inspiration across the Food Growing Framework. This will include:
Information: Food growing section on NCC website, information in Arrow and other NCC publications, leaflets etc
Events [link to Bloom]; shows and competitions
Training programme
Access to seeds, plants, tools and other materials
Supporting organisations
Develop an advisory service for organisations/business on the use of edible landscape designs
After the initial pilot stage of the Growing Access work strand (based on NCC property) extend this to include other organisations
Resources:
No resources currently allocated within NCC (apart from elements of the Allotment Service and Bloom). Resources required would be relatively low cost as they would not require capital expenditure.
Delivery:
While NCC would be responsible for information on its own website etc, other aspects of the work strand could be delivered by partners e.g. training.
Note on ‘landshare’, private gardens and NCC
There are a number of successful schemes around the country which look to match up individuals with larger home gardens that are under used with people without growing space. The majority of these schemes are community based and small scale. On a national level the Landshare project set up by Channel 4 is looking to match ‘land’ with ‘growers’.
These schemes are offering models for bringing greater access to land, but they also have some risks, particularly for large local authority involvement. While the majority of people getting involved may do so for genuine reasons, there is the possibility that others would see it as opportunity to gain less legitimate access to property (and people). NCC would have a responsibility to ensure that participants were not put at risk, but a vetting system (e.g. criminal record check) is likely to be seen as intrusive and bureaucratic. Disputes will inevitably occur, and any expectation for NCC to resolve these is likely to be very time consuming.
For these reasons the Food Growing Framework does not propose direct NCC involvement in projects of this kind at the present time (although information about the Landshare website etc would obviously be part of the general information provided on food growing options). However, the
development of the Growing Access work strand could provide some opportunities.
