Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of local authorities selling statutory allotment sites on (a) rural and (b) smaller communities; and what steps she is taking to ensure those communities retain adequate access to allotment provision.

There are strict criteria in place to protect statutory allotments – these are sites covered by the Allotment Act 1925. A local authority cannot sell or dispose of statutory allotment land without the consent of the Secretary of State, who will only grant it if they are satisfied that either adequate alternative provision is made for displaced plot holders, or that such provision is unnecessary or not reasonably practicable.

The rules on sales of assets have also been in place since 2016 and they have not changed. In fact, ministerial approval for sales of allotments were lower in 2024/25 than the average for previous years.

The information regarding the number of people on waiting lists for an allotment is held by individual Local Authorities, not MHCLG, as they have the responsibility for the running, management and organisation of allotments.

Government has made no formal assessment on the merits of selling statutory allotment sites in rural or smaller communities. The protections under the Allotment Act 1925, and the requirements under the Small Holdings and Allotment Act 1908 for local authorities to provide allotments where there is demand, provides the framework to ensure allotments are available to all communities.