Baroness slams controversial allotments as 'eco-devastation'

A member of the House of Lords has slammed a controversial allotments company and said she will see if the law can be changed to ‘close the gap’ that she said is being ‘exploited’ by them to create a large-scale allotment site on the edge of Bristol.

Baroness Jenny Jones, the only Green Party peer in the upper chamber, visited the Roots Allotments site next to Leigh Woods near Bristol on Friday, and pledged to ‘make a fuss’ about what is happening there, describing it as 'eco-devastation'. Those behind the firm strongly deny that, pointing to the initiatives at the site to boost biodiversity, reinstating hedgerows and planting trees.

Roots Allotments began in Bath, have a number of sites around the country, and have converted a large field at Abbots Leigh into as many as 700 individual allotment plots, sparking a row with local residents and North Somerset Council over whether the firm needs planning permission - and what specifically for - and whether they should be given that permission.

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The firm say an allotment - even with hundreds of plots - is still keeping the field in agricultural use, while local residents and council planners say the associated bits of development - including an access road, car park, utility services and structures do require planning permission.

Roots Allotments have now applied for planning permission, and North Somerset councillors are scheduled to decide on the application on December 3. Baroness Jones was invited to view the Roots site by local Abbots Leigh Green Party councillor Jenna Ho Marris, and described the creation of allotments as ‘eco-devastation’.

“I’ve come here today because local people are so shocked by what’s happening here,” said Baroness Jones. “Greens love allotments, I have an allotment myself, I see it as a place of peace and hard work obviously, but what’s happening here is not a peaceful set of allotments. It’s eco-devastation.

Baroness Jenny Jones at the entrance to Roots Allotments site at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol
Baroness Jenny Jones at the entrance to Roots Allotments site at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol -Credit:Paul Gillis/Bristol Live

“There’s an 80-place car park, for example, and actually it's an unlawful development because it has destroyed parts of a meadow and skylark nests and badger holes. It’s actually extremely nasty and I don’t understand why the company doing this is actually not listening to local people who say it’s not appropriate and they are actually destroying nature not helping it,” she added.

“For me I’m going to make a fuss about it on social media and also with people I meet, and I will look for opportunities because the company has exploited a sort of gap in legislation and I’m going to see in the House of Lords if there’s any opportunity to close that gap. It’s a long shot but I’m going to try,” she said.

Cllr Ho Marris said she supports the residents of Abbots Leigh. “As the Green Party ward councillor for this area I have supported residents from the beginning, asking that any development in our precious green belt is looked at carefully through a full planning application. We await the outcome of these retrospective planning applications,” she said.

Baroness Jenny Jones (second right) at the entrance to Roots Allotments site at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol, alongside Cllr Jenna Ho Marris (Green, Abbots Leigh) and other local residents
Baroness Jenny Jones (second right) at the entrance to Roots Allotments site at Abbots Leigh, near Bristol, alongside Cllr Jenna Ho Marris (Green, Abbots Leigh) and other local residents -Credit:Paul Gillis/Bristol Live

Roots Allotments have consistently denied the claims made by local villagers and, now, by Baroness Jones, that the creation of a large allotments on what was a grassy field next to the main A369 road into Abbots Leigh has damaged the environment and requires planning permission in principle.

The firm said it is trying to create a community of people who want to grow their own food and get back to nature for the benefit of their mental health too.

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“Roots continues to operate under the Certificate of Lawful Development (CLD) to create our growing space,” said Will Gay, one of the founders of the allotment firm. “Allotments and food production are defined within horticulture which fit into the legal definition of agriculture and the primary function of this land at Abbots Leigh is agricultural use. While our core infrastructure remains of temporary nature, we continue to consult with our planners and with North Somerset Council, applying for permission where relevant.

Roots founders - Christian Samuel, Ed Morrison and William Gay
Roots founders - Christian Samuel, Ed Morrison and William Gay -Credit:Roots Allotments

“We remain committed to our mission of providing local people with the education and the opportunity to grow nutritional fruit and vegetables. Speaking with our members, they are relishing this chance to avoid lengthy council waiting lists and finally grow their own food with all the help and support they may need. With hundreds of people now having access to their own allotment patches in Bristol alone, we’re fostering a fantastic growing community,” he added.

Recently, Roots announced that they want to partner with a community interest company to create a market garden on part of the Abbots Leigh site. "In preparation for opening the site, Roots and its members have completed a number of initiatives to boost biodiversity.

"This includes reinstating more than 1,800 metres of native hedgerow and planting more than 30 mixed variety fruit trees, as part of plans to plant more than 400 trees in total. Just recently, Roots also has worked closely with nearby residents to plant trees locally," a spokesperson for the firm added.