Plot Twist: The Allotment 'Crisis'

We used to have an allotment, and we loved it. It had raised beds, a polytunnel, a top-bar beehive, and, best of all, a chicken coop complete with a magnificent rooster called Jack.

There is nothing like the taste of vegetables you’ve grown from seed and harvested yourself. It’s not so much that the food is organic, although it was, but that it is so fresh. Sometimes, we didn’t bother cooking it; we just ate the vegetables raw.

Our allotment was more than just a place to grow food; it was a sanctuary. So, when I saw the headlines about Angela Rayner "selling off the country’s allotments," I jumped on my high horse, pitchfork at the ready, to defend a cherished British tradition.

Naturally, I was a bit surprised to line up alongside Jeremy Corbyn, but needs must in the battle for an Englishman’s (and woman’s) right to dig for victory. I signed the petition trending on change.org and shared it with my friends.

Then I read the Big Issue...

It was, as always with the magazine, an interesting read. The eight sites being sold off since Labour came to power are not unusual. The number of sites sold in 2024 was actually lower than in 2022 and 2020. With an estimated 330,000 allotment spaces across the UK, the eight sites sold last year represent a tiny fraction—less than 0.01% of all available allotments. If Rayner has declared war on allotments, it’s a rather pathetic start.

There is also a stringent process for granting approval to sell off sites. Under the Allotments Act 1925, councils must get approval from the housing, local government, and communities secretary—currently Angela Rayner. Statutory allotments can only be sold where this is absolutely necessary and where the legal threshold is met.

Councils send an application to the National Allotment Society, whose representative will visit the site and assess it before producing a response. The paperwork is then sent to the government for final approval. The application has to fit statutory criteria to show that alternative land exists if it is being disposed of or that alternative land is not necessary, for example, due to a lack of demand. There are also policy criteria to hit, which could mean considering waiting lists in the area or whether plots have been adequately advertised.

The process, it seems, remains unchanged, and the numbers tell a different story than the headlines. The outrage I felt was real, but it was aimed at a crisis that simply doesn't exist.

It's a reminder that sometimes, before we grab our pitchforks, it's worth digging a little deeper for the facts.