Blackpool allotments sites to manage themselves

Individual allotment sites across the town will be self-managed from now on under separate agreements with Blackpool Council.

The Blackpool Federation of Allotment Associations took over responsibility for sites in April 2012, but a council report says the trustees are no longer able to fulfill their role.

It adds: “Since the agreement, the council has had limited involvement in the allotment sites, with very few issues or complaints raised over the years.

“However, as a result of the Covid pandemic the Blackpool Federation of Allotment Associations’ ability to operate and effectively communicate has been impacted and more recently as a result of unfortunate circumstances, the trustees are no longer able to fulfil their obligations under the self-management agreement.”

The decision to move to individual site management follows consultation with holders of allotments in the resort.

The report says: “These discussions with the sites have been very positive, with feedback that they would like to self-manage their allotment sites and are entering in to consultation with their members.”

Members of the Cherry Tree Allotments in Marton decided to break away from the Blackpool Federation of Allotment Associations in September 2021 saying they had not received enough help to find new plot holders.

At the time 40 allotments out of a total of 140 on the site were unused, and this had led to a lack of investment.

But a year after taking over the running of the site themselves, just three allotments remained unoccupied.