BLOOMING GREAT NEW ALLOTMENTS IN LYDNEY

RESIDENTS of a blossoming new community in Lydney have the chance to land an allotment thanks to the Edenstone Group.

The new allotment plots add to the sustainability of River View Garden Village.

The Edenstone Group invited Pearl and Derek Biddle, who previously owned and farmed the land, to perform the ribbon cutting ceremony. They were delighted to handover to the new community at River View in the knowledge that the land would be tended by future generations.

Located on the eastern edge of the development, there are 18 dedicated allotment plots to let in varying sizes, including an area of eight raised beds.

Adele McCoy, sales director for the Edenstone Group, said: “The growth of Lydney through the homes we are building at River View Garden Village has enabled us to provide additional community facilities for the neighbourhood. The new allotments are the first local amenity to launch and have been a real talking point.

“There’s a growing awareness of where our food comes from, including food miles and the potential benefits of organic produce and it doesn’t get much better than being able to grow your own.

“There are plenty of health benefits to tending to an allotment too. It can help people eat a more varied diet of fresh fruit and vegetables; is a great way to spend time outdoors; can increase activity levels and is said to be good for your mental health too. It’s also provides opportunities to meet your neighbours by sharing tips and produce, helping to grow the sense of community.”

The allotments are available exclusively to residents of River View. Other amenities include cycle hire facilities, play areas and outdoor exercise stations.

As part of the Edenstone Group’s commitment to sustainability, there’s an electric car charging point for every home.

River View features the group’s two housing brands, Bluebell Homes and Edenstone Homes with a good choice of two, three and four-bedroom homes and bungalows available.

Derek and Pearl Biddle pictured with Dan Morgan and Jackie Lea at the official opening of new allotments at River View Garden Village, Lydney.

Allotment fact file

  • The history of allotments can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxons who would clear a field from woodland which would be held in common.
  • An allotment is traditionally measured in rods (perches or poles), an old measurement dating back to Anglo-Saxon times with 10 poles equal to 250 square metres or about the size of a doubles tennis court.
  • The first mention of allotments is thought to have been in the late 1500s when allotments of land were attached to tenant cottages.
  • The allotment system we recognise today has its roots in the 19th century, when land was given over to the labouring poor for the provision of food growing.
  • In 1908 the Small Holdings and Allotments Act came into force, placing a duty on local authorities to provide allotments, according to demand.
  • Food shortages during the First World War increased demand for allotments.
  • During the Second World War the “Dig for Victory’ campaign encouraged the public to produce their own food and save shipping needed for war materials.
  • In 1943 there were 1.4 million allotment plots
  • The 1970s’ TV series The Good Life is credited with a resurgence of interest in allotments.
  • In 2018 the UK Government produced a 25 Year Environment Plan, which acknowledges that connecting people to their environment will also improve their health and well-being.