Jephson donates land for allotments

Gardeners from a Wiltshire village are plotting to become more self sufficient thanks to a donation of land for allotments from Jephson Homes Housing Association.

Growers in Sutton Benger have been hard at work clearing the plots over the last two weeks and some have already started planting vegetables, including potatoes, asparagus and lettuce. The land donation of 0.66 acres formed part of a new Jephson housing development in the village, which was officially opened on 1 June 2011.

Representatives of Jephson and its project partners, including the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Wiltshire Council, attended a ceremonial turning of the sod to open the allotments and completion of new homes. Jephson has built seven two, three and four bedroom houses off Sutton Lane at the new development known as ‘Sharpland’s.

The homes have been built on land which has been designated a rural ‘exception’ site, meaning that only affordable housing can be built there if a local housing need is identified.

The homes were supported with investment from the HCA of £385,000 and £225,000 by Wiltshire Council. The scheme meets Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and is also fully Lifetime Homes compliant.

Jephson senior development officer Emma Hardman said: “We are delighted that these new homes are now complete as they provide much needed affordable housing for local people and it’s great that this land has been put to such good use as helping to provide locally grown produce for villagers. There is real sense of community that has been established due to the development and allotments.”

Sutton Benger Allotment Gardens association chair, Hereward Parry-Jones said all 21 allotment plots, of various different sizes, have now been allocated on a first-come first-served basis to local families who signed up for a plot several years ago.

He said: “There will be a huge variety of wonderful things growing here including flowers, asparagus beds and potatoes. It was very kind of Jephson to give these plots to the village.”