Allotments have been an under-stated feature of Britain’s urban life for many decades. After years of slow decline there are now signs of growth across the UK. Waiting lists for plots are rising as the climate crisis and a growing recognition of the importance of the environment and nature sparks a revival of interest. Yet little research on current plot-holders has been undertaken.
To rectify this, the Institute of Local Government Studies (Inlogov) at the University of Birmingham organised a study that collected information directly from allotment users and site secretaries in partnership with the Birmingham District Allotments Confederation (BDAC). The study focused on the Birmingham allotment estate that provides plots across 113 sites in the city. Hosted on the BDAC website and open to all plot-holders in the city, 876 valid forms were completed, which represented 14% of current plot-holders. Along with secretaries’ returns from fifty sites and a range of interviews the study enabled the authors to compile a wide-ranging picture of allotment life in today’s Birmingham