Large tracts of disused land should be transformed to meet the rising demand for home-grown fruit and vegetables, a Plaid Cymru AM has told the Senedd.
Leanne Wood, AM for South Wales Central, said one solution to the increasing allotment waiting lists could be found in utilising the remnants of our industrial heritage.
Large swathes of land across South Wales are still disused decades after the colliery or steelworks that once occupied them, closed down. While some of this land may be deemed to be too contaminated and costly to be brought back into use, new and efficient methods of cleansing soil have emerged recently.
Scientists at Edinburgh University are currently working on a process that burns away pollutants, such as oil and petrochemicals from the ground, which leaves the original clean soil behind. The researchers, who are trialling the method in America and Canada, believe 95% contaminated land could be brought back into use through this method, at a fraction of the cost of current means.
During questions to the Plaid Leader and Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, Ms Wood said: “There has been an explosion recently of interest in growing food. However, in many areas, demand outstrips supply when it comes to the availability of land. In some areas, the waiting lists extend over several years.
“Given that there is a significant amount of land in Wales that has been left derelict after our industrial past, do you think that there may be opportunities to bring such land back into use for food-growing purposes?”
Mr Jones replied: “As you will appreciate, there are sometimes difficulties with derelict land because of contamination issues, and we need to ensure that that is not a barrier. However, we should all encourage the release of land, where possible, for further use through allotments—and not only derelict land, but land across the Assembly Government’s estate.
“I would be happy to take that issue back and look at it, and if any Member wishes to bring to my attention the need for allotments in various parts of Wales, we as a Government will look at that.”
