Leasowe, Wirral, United Kingdom
City population: 319680
Duration: 2014 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Previous derelict area
Last updated: October 2021

The project was started by a group of local people with the aim of turning a barren piece of land into allotments. The aim was to benefit residents/members of the public by growing their own (local) food (and learning e.g. how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers for wildlife as well as bee-keeping). 29 allotments were created. (Ref. 1, 2, 3)

Lease Community Allotments
https://www.facebook.com/leasoweallotments/photos/a.879835032106598/879837448773023

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Allotments

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education
  • Social cohesion
  • Social interaction
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising

Project objectives

Objective: turning a barren piece of land into allotments; bringing a sense of community to the area. Aiming to benefit residents/members of the public by growing their own (local) food (and learning e.g. how to grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers for wildlife as well as bee-keeping). (Ref. 1, 2)

Implementation activities

Grants allowed the community group to build fences, create 29 plots and 2 communal areas. The site offers training in how to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers for the wildlife, as well as a team teaching about how to look after bees. (Ref. 2)

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Other

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Citizens or community group

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
  • Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The project was started by a group of local people with the aim of turning a barren piece of land into allotments. (Ref. 1) It took several years “bring Leasowe Community Allotments CIC to fruition after it was first mooted by former Leasowe and Moreton East councillor Ian Lewis." (Ref. 2, 3) . Grants (funding) provided from ‘Your Wirral’ and the ‘Co-Op’. (Ref. 2) . Your Wirral is a fund administered by Wirral Council and Wirral Partnership Homes which offers grants to community groups/volunteers. (Ref. 7)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? No (The project was started by a local community group (to transform a barren piece of land into allotments). Cllr. Ian Lewis proposed the idea (to bring "much needed" allotments to the site). (Ref. 1-3) )

Financing

Total cost

€10,000 - €50,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Other

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
  • Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Increased green space area
  • Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Increased access to healthy/affordable food
  • Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

Ref. 1. Leasowe Community Allotments (n.d.) Leasowe Community Allotments; Facebook page. Information obtained. 2017-07-26. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Ref. 2. Wirral Globe (2014) Leasowe allotment founders hope sense of community spirit will grow. Rigby, E. Senior Reporter. Information obtained. 2017-07-26. Source: Source link [Accessed 28 August 2020]
Ref. 3. Wirral Allotment Society (2015) Wirral Allotment Society. News. Information obtained. 2017-07-26. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Ref. 4. Wirral Council (2003) Wirral Biodiversity Action Plan. A framework for local biodiversity conservation. The Wirral Biodiversity Partnership Technical Group. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Ref. 5. Wirral Council (2007) Wirral Allotment Strategy 2007-2012. Parks and countryside service. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Ref. 6. Wirral Council (2015) Wirral Allotment Strategy 2015-2020. Allotments partnership strategy & improvement plans. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Ref. 7. Your Wirral (n.d.) About The Fund. Your Wirral. Information obtained. 2017-07-26. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 8. Community Action Wirral (n.d.) Co-op local community fund. Information obtained: 2017-08-06. Source: Source link [Accessed on 28 August 2020]
Lease Community Allotments Bee Keeping
https://www.facebook.com/leasoweallotments/photos/a.879835032106598/879837448773023
Lease Community Allotments
Lease Community Allotments
https://www.facebook.com/leasoweallotments/photos/a.879835032106598/879837448773023