Council land deal promises extra veg for locals

DISUSED and overgrown land belonging to The City of Edinburgh Council could about to be turned into vegetable plots – following a deal struck between the council and a group of partner organisations promoting neighbourhood food growing.

The agreement will see support provided by the council, such as training opportunities for prospective growers. It follows a survey of mostly pop-up food growing in the city already taking place on council land.

According to the council, here, there are already 46 such plots on its land, ranging “from small ones with a couple of raised beds outside a tower block to large ‘neighbourhood gardens’ with growing beds for 70 or more growers”.

The deal involves Edible Estates, is a partnership of almost a dozen organisations.

Edible Estates is funded by The City of Edinburgh Council and by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Arguably the UK’s best-known neighbourhood food growing initiative is in the West Yorkshire town of Todmorden: Incredible Edibles.

Picture credit: Place Design Scotland

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