This briefing supports amendment 483 to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, laid by Baroness Boycott, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, Baroness Young of Old Scone and the Earl of Caithness.
Community food growing delivers environmental, health, and food production benefits. Evidence has shown that these green spaces can support biodiversity, climate change mitigation, save the NHS money and can create both food and jobs.
New food growing space face numerous barriers including lack of investment and access to land in urban and peri-urban areas. This amendment, laid by Baroness Boycott, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, Baroness Young of Old Scone and the Earl of Caithness, would allow the Secretary of State to require local authorities to publish publicly owned land and help community groups bid for access for the purposes of either food growing or environmental enhancement.
The Government has committed to protect 30% of the UK’s land by 2030 and needs to identify an additional 4% to meet that. In December 2022 it also made a legal commitment under the Environment Act to halt the decline in species populations by 2030. Community cultivation projects could support both those commitments.
Sustain briefing on community cultivation – ahead of Lords debate on the Levelling Up Bill
3pp - 2023 | 129Kb
Published Friday 19 May 2023
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
