Letter: Who Will Defend Guildford’s Allotment Holders?

Published on: 4 Aug, 2025
Updated on: 4 Aug, 2025

Angela Richardson in November 2022, when the MP for Guildford, at the allotments off Woking Road.

From Angela Richardson

former Conservative MP for Guildford

With news that the Secretary of State for Housing, Local Government and Communities Angela Rayner has given the green light to cash-strapped councils to sell off allotment land for development, who will speak up for allotment holders in Guildford?

I witnessed the Guildford Allotment Society, working on behalf of allotment holders, being treated like a nuisance group by Guildford Borough Council who were at the time desperate pushing through Weyside Urban Village development. GBC were found not to have filled in forms properly which delayed their own project, ultimately costing the taxpayer money.

The value of these allotments to the holders cannot be overstated, but I fear they are now in for another battle with GBC as it continues to target any low-hanging fruit. There was little acknowledgement from local councillors in the last battle until elections neared, yet their residents did not vote for this valuable amenity to be taken away.

Will they defend allotments now?

Responses to Letter: Who Will Defend Guildford’s Allotment Holders?

Julia McShane Reply

August 4, 2025 at 9:35 pm

The fact that GBC has created a new allotment site at North Moors and an extension to the Aldershot Road allotments to ensure that residents who want an allotment can have one really rather speaks for itself.

Julia McShane is the Lib Dem leader of Guildford Borough Council.
- Angela Richardson Reply
  
  August 5, 2025 at 2:00 pm
  
  Guildford Dragon readers, if they wish, can put ‘Allotments’ into the search bar at the top right of the page and see the facts of the matter for themselves.
  
  Angela Richardson is the former Conservative MP for Guildford
- Paul Spooner Reply
  
  August 5, 2025 at 5:47 pm
  
  Anyone involved in the debacle with North Moors allotments under Cllr McShane’s administration will know the way GAS [Guildford Allotment Society] was treated by council officers and received almost no support from the Lib Dem administration.
  
  I share the concerns raised and seek assurance from the council leadership that allotments will all be safe under the Lib Dem administration. As outgoing chairman of Guildford in Bloom I am dismayed by the Deputy Prime Minister’s position at a national level.
  
  Paul Spooner is a former Conservative leader of GBC
Helena Townsend Reply

August 5, 2025 at 5:17 pm

I don’t really understand what Cllr McShane is saying. North Moors allotments were provided to get the Weyside Urban regeneration unlocked. Will the council adopt the same approach elsewhere, allowing development of allotments providing an alternative is offered? Or will they rule out disposing of them as a way to generate revenue at all?

It would be great to understand the council’s stance on this.
Norman French Reply

August 5, 2025 at 7:45 pm

Several years ago, I was interviewed for a job with Spelthorne Council, to invest money in property. With hindsight, I am very glad I didn’t get it.

Likewise, Woking Council has shown what mistakes are possible with property speculation. If only allotments were the limit of the foolishness of some local authorities (and it seems the case here is not proven).

But chronic under-funding of local authorities by Central Government has applied excruciating pressure on them to address cash shortfalls.

I fear that Mrs Richardson is on the current bandwagon and attacking a symptom, not the cause.
Joseph Stuart Reply

August 5, 2025 at 8:24 pm

Does Cllr Julia McShane think what has happened to the Bellfields allotment also speak for itself?

For transparency, I’m one of the new allotment holders at Bellfields who has taken on a plot after over half of the original site had been taken away.
- George Potter Reply
  
  August 6, 2025 at 5:30 pm
  
  Half the original site at Bellfields was taken away to provide an access road for the new brownfield housing development at Weyside, which will provide hundreds of new council homes, plus a nature reserve.
  
  To make up for the lost plots a new, larger allotment site was created at North Moors, including a free shed and water point for every single plot, a massive improvement over the facilities at the old site.
  
  I think that is indicative of how GBC approach allotments, namely making sure that there is no net loss of allotment plots because of development.
  
  George Potter is a Lib Dem borough councillor for Burpham
  - Jim Allen Reply
    
    August 7, 2025 at 10:19 am
    
    Sadly, this is a slight misalignment of facts. What was a walk to the allotments is now a drive to the allotments. It was changed in order to provide the first cheap Stage 1 site which could be sold to provide the funds for the next stage of Weyside. Ironically, this has caused the generation of the £50 million deficit which, in turn, increases the risk of the remaining allotments being sold for development, bringing the total new housing units to exceed 2,000.
    
    No matter the poltical waffle, the allotments are in danger and always will be.
Bernadine Felle Reply

August 7, 2025 at 11:15 pm

There are lots of other options available than selling allotments. Allotments are a positive contribution to the community.