Plans for new allotment plots unveiled

New allotment plots are set to be created in a Nottinghamshire town due to high demand, a district council has said.

Work to turn former grazing land on Sandy Lane in Mansfield into 41 new allotments was completed in May.

Mansfield District Council said on Wednesday that all the plots were now occupied and it had plans to convert a former community allotment at the same site into another 12.

The authority said it had about 250 people on a waiting list for plots.

Dale Cross, allotment officer for the council, said the land was originally used for allotments in the 1990s before it became neglected.

"Over the course of the past 10 years, there has been a resurgence in the demand for allotments," he said.

"Demand was especially high during the Covid pandemic, and this trend has continued year on year.

"I think more and more people appreciate the benefits of having their own outdoor space where they can go and escape the challenges of daily life while at the same time reaping the rewards of growing their own fruit and veg.

"Not only does gardening offer a great sense of achievement, it’s also good for our physical and mental health."

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