Farm in Castlereagh Hills to be considered for allotments for Belfast residents

Elected representatives at Belfast City Hall have agreed a proposition to look at the land as part of a wider review agreed for Belfast City Council allotment policy.

Last month councillors at committee level urged changing council allotment policy after officials stated waiting lists were overwhelming available allotments.

Council officers at a committee meeting admitted most of those on the waiting lists for allotments across the city were unlikely to get a plot, which is currently £50 a year for tenants.

At the People and Communities Committee a report revealed that on the most recent count, there were 964 people on the waiting list for the city’s 281 plots.

Beechvale Farm, a 136.9-acre farm located outside Belfast’s council boundary, is leased to the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute by Belfast City Council for growing various crops.

It is situated approximately seven miles southeast of Belfast in the Lisburn and Castlereagh Council area on Gransha Road, with the La Mon Hotel and Country Club and Lamon Estates situated nearby.

The AFBI uses the land for growing various grass, cereal, and potato crops. The lease is subject to an annual rent of £8,000.

At the April meeting of the full council in City Hall Councillor Séamas De Faoite gave a further proposal.

He said: “The council will be aware that I brought in the last term a motion around urban farms and gardens.

"It was specifically focused around the use of the Beechvale Farm site in the Castlereagh Hills.

"Unfortunately we are still in a position where we are not further on, in relation to that motion, which was agreed to.

“Looking at the potential expansion of allotment space within the city is something which I would welcome.

"I know the Annadale allotment space is something that is very well sought after, there is an extensively long waiting list there, and someone wanting a slot in their 40s or 50s now would probably have to sign up in their 20s.

“I would like to (propose) the potential future use of Beechvale Farm to be included as part of that review process.”

The full council agreed with the amendment.

At the council’s seven allotment locations, there are eight plots at Albert Drive, Castlereagh, 57 at Ballysillan, 87 at Annadale Embankment, 60 at Belmont, 22 at Blythefield, 25 at Musgrave, Stockmans Lane, and 22 at Whiterock Road.

The waiting lists are at 125 people at Albert Drive, Castlereagh, 65 at Ballysillan, 353 at Annadale Embankment, 205 at Belmont, 22 at Blythefield, 165 at Musgrave, Stockmans Lane, and 29 at Whiterock Road.

The process of awarding plots to members of the public is done through completing an application form.

A customer’s position is dictated by when they submitted their application – meaning it is a first come first serve basis. When a plot becomes available, the council allocates it to the next person on the waiting list.

Belfast City Council has allocated an average of 22 plots per year since 2014 based on current provision and availability of vacant plots. 40 plots are vacant currently and will be allocated to those on the waiting lists.