Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Regeneration and Economy

The Scrutiny Coordination Committee considered a briefing note and presentation by the Director of Regeneration and Economy, which set out plans to enable Coventry residents and community groups to access Council-owned land that is underutilised for food growing and wildlife gardening.

Coventry’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan outlined an ambitious vision for the city which would help to improve the lives of people that live and work here, alongside supporting nature’s recovery.

One of the initiatives within the Strategy was focussed on the development of a network of community growing sites across the city for residents to help create and enjoy.  The scheme would support residents and community groups to take ownership of their local environment through maintaining and improving the open areas for the benefit of the local community.  Bringing forward opportunities for residents  to utilise Council-owned land which is disused or underutilised for community growing sites, supporting food growth and wildlife, would deliver significant benefits including:

·  Health and wellbeing: encouraging physical activity in fresh air, improved wellbeing by spending more time in green space, increasing locally grown fruit and vegetable consumption;

·  Social cohesion and community: fostering stronger relationships within communities;

·  Environmental: increasing and enhancing local green spaces and biodiversity;

·  Climate resilience: producing locally grown food for communities to help increase food security;

·  Education and skills: providing an opportunity for residents to learn new skills about creating sustainable growing spaces, horticulture, composting and caring for wildlife;

·  Pride: this will help engender local pride.

The Committee noted that, nationally, there is a campaign for Government to adopt the principle of a ‘Right to Grow’ across the UK due to the benefits for people and wildlife.  Coventry had already started doing this through ‘Coventry Grows’, a project which started in 2024 through the city’s Climate Change Board to develop a number of pilot community growing sites in some of the city’s most green-deprived areas, backed by funding from E.ON through the city’s Strategic Energy Partnership.  The pilot projects have seem the first site established in Stoke Heath, with further sites being developed in Hillfields, Foleshill and Tile Hill, with 58 community volunteers involved over the last 12 months.

The Council has worked with the Coventry Food Network in securing the national recognition to obtain the status as a ‘Sustainable Food Place’.  This recognises the City’s partnership making healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of where people live, which includes building public awareness, active food citizenship and local good food movement, with healthy food for all.  Expanding community growing sites across the city would help to support this and help benefit communities if produce can be distributed via the Food Network and local networks where this is a surplus.

The Coventry Growing Sites policy would enable the Council to extend the opportunity to all communities across the city to access disused or underused Council land for community growing and nature gardening, building on the Coventry Grows pilot and existing allotment network and creating a significant opportunity to improve the quality and extent of green space across the city for the benefit of people and nature.

The policy would be introduced where residents could apply to use Council-owned land for community growing sites.  The Councill would provide guidance in terms of available sites through an online map, alongside growing advice and any requirements to support site set up, such as surveys.  Community growing sites would be regulated, with a legal agreement between the Council and residents to enable them to use the land for growing.  It was proposed that the land would be available on a rolling annual basis, allowing for the agreement to be terminated should the land be required for other purposes in the future or if the project comes to an end.

Whilst plans were initially focussed on Council-owned land, the Committee acknowledged that there was an opportunity to work with other landowners across the city as part of the initiative.  This could include partners such as social housing provider, Citizen, who have expressed an interest, alongside the Canal and River Trust, where there is potential land that could be used adjacent to the canal.

It was further proposed that there be dedicated resource allocated to co-ordinating the community growing sites, who will be able to help simplify the process for communities by co-ordinating with Council services that would need to be consulted on sites, which would include Parks and Open Spaces, Climate Change and Sustainability, Sports, Education, Ecology, Drainage, Highways, Streetpride, Legal, Property, Insurance and Finance, amongst others.  The Council would also help support groups by offering a tool library.

Having considered the briefing note and the presentation, the Committee provided feedback to assist in drafting the policy and the guidance available, to include:

·  Clear guidance for growers on appropriate native species, with input from local Wildlife Trusts;

·  Clarification on whether developers are encouraged to offer land or growing space as part of new developments:

·  Ensuring fair access, limiting one lease per applicant where appropriate:

·  Meaningful engagement with nearby residents and ward councillors ahead of confirming leases;

·  Strong expectation that Friends of Parks groups are consulted where relevant;

·  Opportunities to engage with mental health organisations, including the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, due to the wellbeing benefits of growing activities;

·  Partnership opportunities be identified with the Canal and River Trust for linear orchards and canal-side growing initiatives;

·  Sites should only be allocated to Coventry residents and activities must be restricted to growing and biodiversity enhancement;

·  Incorporation of a Risk Management process, including scheduled inspections and steps for responding to problems such as vandalism and fly-tipping;

·  Consideration of insurance arrangements to ensure fairness and clarity for participating groups;

·  Ensuring that the Policy considers scalable delivery and a mechanism for evaluating the scheme’s success over time.

RESOLVED that, the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee:

1.  Endorse the proposal to be taken forward to the Cabinet Member for formal approval in March 2026.

2.  Provide feedback, as indicated above, to help assist in drafting the policy and guidance.

3.  Support with engaging communities at a ward level to encourage uptake.