SHERFORD PLOTS FOR THE FUTURE WITH ALLOTMENT BUILDING PLANS REVEALED

Ready, get set, grow! In celebration of National Allotment Week (9-15 August), Sherford residents will soon have access to a communal green getaway, with new plans unveiled for a new allotment building. This new structure will offer users a functional, shared social space amidst the town’s first allotment plots.  

Designed with sustainability at its heart, the new building will be created from a re-purposed site cabin and will include a kitchen, outdoor terrace, equipment storage, and eco-friendly accessible and compostable toilets. Built for the community by the community; learners from the Sherford Skills Training Scheme will have a role in creating the building.

The plans have been submitted just as the UK celebrates National Allotment Week, an annual initiative to raise awareness of the role allotments play in bringing communities together and supporting sustainable lifestyles. From growing fruit and vegetables, to cultivating new friendships, this year’s ‘Plotting for the Future’ theme focuses on how allotments help create an eco-friendly future.

The new allotment building will be surrounded by extensive landscaping works, including new orchard trees, wildflowers and grasses; all of which are already found in the surrounding Devon countryside. Accessible to all, Sherford allotment users and visitors, will have access to the new facility, its own dedicated car park, and a network of footpaths. 

The first wave of allotment plots will be located within a two-hectare space near Sherford’s country park and play area, which means residents and community groups will be able to grow their own produce within walking distance of their homes. In total, there will be eight-hectares of land dedicated to allotment space at Sherford, which will become available as the town develops over the years.

Kathryn Pennington, Regional Development Director for Vistry Partnerships South West, part of the Sherford Consortium said: “Allotments have been bringing communities together throughout history, and from making the most of the outdoors, to fostering new friendships, their benefits are countless. The new allotment building is set to be a fantastic addition to the growing community. The permanent structure will not only be the perfect practical place for allotment users, but it will also be the ideal location to meet other members of the community, and create a more sustainable way of life.

“Open to everyone, from amateur gardeners, to seasoned growers, the allotment building and plots will be located within easy reach of homes. Its construction is also being led by those learning and honing constructions skills, who will have the opportunity to put their training into practice during every phase of the building’s development.”