Dewsbury Riverside: Opening of new allotments site paves way for work to progress on 4,000 new homes in the town

Relocating the allotments will now allow the council to move forward with the Dewsbury Riverside housing development, which should create around 4,000 new homes.

The development will also create supporting infrastructure including schools, open spaces and local facilities.

This is the largest development of its kind currently planned for Kirklees, which will help to address a local and national housing shortage.

Due to the strategic importance of the Dewsbury Riverside housing development, and the benefits of allotment gardening for local people, the council committed to relocating the existing allotments – which have been well used by local nature and gardening enthusiasts.

The new allotment site has almost doubled in size with the move, creating a total of 43 sizeable plots compared to the previous 25.

Coun Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “The completion of these allotments is the first step to delivering what’s currently our most ambitious housing project for Kirklees.

"What we’re looking to do here is create not just more housing but a community, with all the additional infrastructure that entails.

“Alongside paving the way for the new housing development, we’ve also supported local industry and our local talent pool throughout the construction work – and it’s resulted in a new outdoor space which will mean a lot to the local community.

“We now want the larger-scale project to continue driving value back into our local economy, while also creating thousands of new homes at a time when, nationally, we’re in desperate need.”

Many of the plots have also benefitted from the addition of brand new sheds and greenhouses, replacing those owned by allotment holders who have moved with the site.

All have access to running water on-site, and a brand new car park has been created for the use of the allotment holders. Plants from the previous site have been replaced like for like.

Many of the new allotments are already occupied by tenants from the previous site, and the council anticipates that many more plots will be taken up over the coming months due to high demand on allotment waiting lists across the borough.

The council employed a local construction firm, the Casey Group, to work on the development of the new allotment site. This included landscaping and the laying of underground pipes for the water supply.

Coun Graham Turner, cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “The new allotment site is fantastic, and I’ve been really pleased to speak to a local allotment holder who has been tending his plot every single day since the site opened.

"In a matter of weeks, these spaces already look so full, individual and lived-in.

“There are proven benefits to these kind of spaces for people’s mental and physical well-being, and allotments also give people the ability to grow their own fresh produce.

"I believe this is something that’s going to benefit a lot of people for years to come, and when you take a step back and see the bigger picture, there are so many other wins here as well.”