Allotment to form green heart of Perth's regeneration area
A community gardening project is set to form the vibrant green heart of Perth's largest regeneration project.
- By Mark Mackay
- Published in the Courier : 16.07.10
- Published online : 16.07.10 @ 03.52pm
Created under a Scottish Government funding scheme, the community allotment has been developed in the town's Muirton area in a bid to bring people back to the earth and foster a renewed sense of togetherness.
The venture will offer locals the chance to become part of what has been described as one of the most exclusive clubs in Scotland.
More than 3000 Scots are currently on waiting lists of up to 10 years in the hope of securing an allotment, 70% of which are owned by local authorities.
The Scottish Government has made a commitment to address the shortfall by providing increased support for "grow your own" initiatives as part of the national food and drink strategy.
In December last year that commitment saw the Muirton Park Community Development Trust awarded a grant of £86,065 from the Climate Challenge Fund to support an 18-month pilot scheme aimed at building a low-carbon community.
The pre-war council housing estate is in the process of being torn down with a mix of new and affordable housing in its place.
Since the grant, initiatives covering energy use, transport, composting, waste, recycling and volunteering have all been moving forward apace, while an advice centre has also been created at the new community flat.
Perth has had a proud history of allotment holding and there are prominent plots on the town's Moncrieffe Island in the River Tay.
The local council does not operate any allotments, but does lease the land on Moncrieffe Island to the Perth Working Men's Gardening Association.
The new allotment off Nightingale Avenue in Muirton Park will provide training to members of the community.
In time there will be fruit trees, herbs and vegetables on the site and eventually cuttings should be available to help people get started, while a gardening tool library is also available for those who need a little extra assistance.
Climate challenge co-ordinator Hilary Kennedy said there was scope for significant expansion of the scheme should it prove a hit with locals.
There has already been huge interest in the scheme from schools and the local child and family centre.
The allotment will officially open between noon and 4pm tomorrow, and all members of the community are invited.
Muirton is not the only Perth community whose gardening ambitions have benefited from the support of the Scottish Government's Climate Change Fund.
Earlier this year, the South Perth Community Partnership was awarded £50,000 to develop its own allotment area for residents.
Photo used under Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user Nic's events.
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