Site clearance and ground preparation has begun for the new Alyth Allotments being developed by a working group supported by ADT. The site comprises part of a fairway on the former Glenisla golf course, just off the Lossett Road track towards Pitcrocknie village. When complete, the site will offer around 20 individual allotments together with shared polytunnels and raised beds (see concept plan below). To join in and/or find out more, visit https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-allotments/.
With planning permission now confirmed, Allotments For All held a very positive meeting on 28 May attended by numerous people interested in securing a plot. The meeting discussed layouts, annual fees and governing structures, and the working group has now invited interested growers to formally register their interest.
You can download the application form here: https://lovealyth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Allotments-for-All-in-Alyth-exp-interest.pdf. Please note the short deadline of 15 June for return of forms – this is to make sure that the planning for the site preparation remains on schedule for completion ahead of the next growing season.
More information on the project here: https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-allotments/
The Allotments for All volunteer group in Alyth have successfully secured a very long-term “peppercorn” lease of £1 annually for the allotments on private land belonging to Glenisla Developments, next to Pitcrocknie Village. This was one of the possible sites identified in our extensive public consultation over the past year. Full details on the project are here: https://lovealyth.org.uk/projects/alyth-allotments/
Work will begin over the next few months on clearing the soil and constructing fencing to protect the allotment plots from deer and (we hope) rabbits. For more information, and to sign up for an allotment in 2025, please write to allotments4all@alyth.online. All those who have put their name on the sign-up list will be contacted shortly — please be reassured that we still have your name on our list!
We are grateful to Glenisla Developments for their generosity in helping provide this much desired community space.
Alyth Allotments for All, the volunteer group working to create new allotments space in Alyth, has completed its careful analysis of the extensive public consultations carried out on the project since last year. The group now plans to finalise discussions with landowners early next month with a view to announcing the final choice of site before the end of the year.
For some years, there have been discussions of having a larger allotment site in Alyth to benefit the community, and in 2022 a volunteer group began exploring the options for this, following feedback from the Community Action Planning Process that reiterated the general desire for allotments (including two mentions in the 2009 Alyth 2020 report). The group began inviting comments and suggestions in the Spring of 2022, and it soon became clear that there is overwhelming support in Alyth for the value of allotments and growing your own food, not only to ensure food security but also for positive mental health.
Building on this, the Allotments for All (AFA) working group looked around Alyth at potential sites and continued collecting feedback and comments on the general idea of new allotments. This culminated in a busy Alyth Allotments Public Consultation event on 19th June 2023 at which four possible sites were presented to the community (after initial very tentative discussions with landowners). The four sites were: the Millhaugh part of Alyth Den; a triangular piece of unused farmland on Isla Road; a field adjacent to Jubilee Park; and part of the former golf course at the edge of Pitcrocknie village.
Since the consultation event, the volunteer committee has been collating all responses, comments and feedback received over the past 16 months and especially at and after the public event on 19th June this year. Every response received in any form has been carefully considered.
A number of comments regarding garden sharing were noted and AFA have found that there are already UK-wide schemes available online for anyone to join: Lend and Tend https://www.lendandtend.com and also AllotMe https://www.app.allotme.co.uk
Meanwhile, AFA hope to be in final discussion with landowners in early October and will report back on progress made. Where concerns have been voiced that can be accommodated AFA will be raising them with landowners. Sites may be eliminated as more is learned about their suitability, availability and accessibility. The next actions for this work are to make a final choice on the site based on all the feedback received thus far, publicise that selection via social media, websites, ADT and ACC, and then form a larger governing committee and begin to make this site a reality. NB: AFA is a committee of volunteers donating their time and energy to creating a new resource for Alyth so the work proceeds as their time allows.
Alyth Allotments Public Consultation Event (detailed summary)
On 19th June 2023, 71 people attended the public consultation event in Alyth Town Hall. 38 comments sheets were filled in and 9 comments were left on the comments board.
Since that date the public have been invited (via social media and the Alyth Voice) to email or leave comments within boxes at the co-op and the library. 11 further comments were received and 10 emails.
Four sites were proposed (after initial discussion with landowners) as the possible location of allotments in various parts of Alyth: the Millhaugh part of Alyth Den; a triangular piece of unused farmland on Isla Road; a field adjacent to Jubilee Park; and part of the former golf course at the edge of Pitcrocknie village.
Feedback received showed the various sites all had positive and negative aspects (see below), whilst some people chose their preferred location and others made more general comments:
Alyth Development Trust is holding a public consultation on proposals to create new allotments in Alyth. The consultations on the Community Action Plan over the summer of 2021 identified more allotment space as a priority to help make Alyth a more resilient town.
Over the past few months people across the town have joined together in a working group to develop plans and concepts for where new allotments might be created and and what they might look like.
The consultation event on 19 June will be very informal and you can come along for as long as you like to find out more – any and all interested people will be very welcome! ADT and the working group will be sharing potential sites and seeking suggestions for other sites, and will have drawings and details of the plans as they have evolved up to this point, no matter where the allotments are finally built.
Drop in to the Town Hall any time between 3pm and 7pm on 19 June! We’re looking forward to seeing you.
Following on from the very successful community action planning last year, we are supporting a group of volunteers to help start an allotments for all project for our town. Over the past year we have successfully raised funds to support this project from funders who are only interested in allotments, and are now looking to sign up town residents who would like to be involved in this exciting work – either to reserve a plot or be a volunteer — or both. We know that growing our own food is good for physical and mental health, and that a well-designed set of allotments would be an asset for the entire town, and supported by the results of our CAP.
The group has looked at a number of sites around the town and are now in discussion with Perth & Kinross Council (PKC) about a small corner of the Market Muir, a piece of land held in trust for all of us. PKC are very supportive thus far and is working with the group to explore drainage and soil issues now. As the group hopes to follow a “no-dig” approach to growing, the allotments will have a very minimal and positive effect on the land. They will not impede the rights of way nor the dog-walking paths worn by years of usage.
The group plans to hold a public consultation in later March (to be publicised on noticeboards, in shops and on social media and alyth.online) when they have drawings of what is planned, as well as more specifics on the timing of this project. We hope to build enough plots that anyone can take part, and once established the allotments will be governed by a group of plot-holders. The group has recently joined the National Allotments Association to learn as much as possible about best practice.
If you would like to learn more, please contact the group at allotments4all@alyth.online and they will be in touch. They want this to be a project that is open to all and that benefits as many Alyth residents as possible.