If a piece of land owned by Hounslow Council is a blank canvas, residents need only ask to grow fruit and veg on it
A West London council will allow residents to grow their own food on public land in an effort to tackle rising obesity rates.
An Emmy-nominated actor has called on councils across the country to follow in Hounslow Council’s footsteps in introducing a ‘right to grow’ policy. Jim Carter OBE, of Downton Abbey fame, backed Hounslow’s plan to open up “unloved and unused public land” for communities, schools and volunteer groups to grow food and get involved in gardening.
Carter, who is patron of Greenfingers – a charity which creates “magical gardens” for children’s hospices, alongside his wife Imelda Staunton – says more councils should introduce the policy.
Congratulating the council on the initiative, he said: “To offer under-utilised council ground to schools and community groups to grow plants and food and to reconnect with nature is both imaginative and far-sighted. I only hope that more local councils follow suit. I can’t wait to see the results and wish all involved a fun and fertile future.”
Hounslow Council will be one of a handful across the country giving residents the ‘right to grow’ on public land, and the second in London, after Southwark.
The policy – which is named Go Forth and Grow for the Future – is designed to allow communities to “steward” unmanaged land that is currently going to waste. The council hopes this will allow residents to connect with nature and build civic pride, whilst tackling fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.
Hounslow has the fourth highest level of adult obesity in London, with 61.7 per cent of adults classified as overweight. This has led to severe health problems in the borough with 23,000 people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Hounslow Council says the policy will provide opportunities for people to grow healthy food whilst undertaking physical activities, all in an effort to tackle rising obesity rates.
This builds on the council’s existing Grow for the Future’ policy which was a UK first in converting wasteland and fly-tipping hotspots into new allotments, community gardens and orchards to grow food and teach people about healthy living, sustainability and biodiversity.
The difference, according to Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, is that the right to grow policy “cuts red tape”. Hounslow residents who wish to grow on public land will be allowed to do so on their own accord.
He added: “The pandemic taught everyone, all at once, the value of green space – for our physical and mental health, and for learning about nature, biodiversity and sustainability. Sadly, many people living in flats do not have gardens to call their own, while unused land goes to waste, attracting fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour. So we’re cutting red tape for green shoots.
“With this policy, the whole borough can be a garden – allowing residents to take over unloved land to grow food and flowers and allowing people of all ages to learn about and care for the environment by getting their hands dirty.”
Four pilot schemes were already under way before the council formalised the policy. This included a community group that has transformed an alleyway in Isleworth that had attracted antisocial behaviour with people drinking and smashing glass bottles, fly-tipping, graffiti, and littering.
The group was given permission to clear the litter, trim overgrown vegetation, and plant flowers. Other groups are said to have planted donated plants on an unused, overgrown, fly-tipped patch of grass by a railway bridge in Brentford, and are planning a sensory garden on Ivybridge, one of the borough’s biggest council estates.
How practically does it work?
There will be a council officer dedicated to supporting residents with requests to grow on council land. Before this policy, groups were not able to get permission to do so – now they can, and the council will provide the tools.
Residents will have to ask for permission, however this will be granted in most cases. The reason people must gain permission is to ensure the land is suitable, isn’t contaminated, or dangerous.
Cllr Shaheen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “There also wasn’t a door at the council people could knock on before, no route to ask for permission and if they did ask, the answer would have been no. Now there’s an open door, and anyone coming through will be given all the assistance and info they need and we’re saying come along and step forward and we’ll make it easy.”
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