St Ann's Allotments
The St Anns Allotments, comprising Hungerhill Gardens. Stonepit Coppice Gardens and Gorseyclose Gardens, is one of the earliest and largest of allotment sites in the country. The whole site comprises 670 individual plots covering approximately 32 hectares, many dating from early 1830's.
English Heritage has classified the site as Grade II*, commenting that
'No surviving site has come to light on the scale of Hungerhills in Nottingham, which remains the pre-eminent example of this type of garden layout'.
However, due to a lack of investment the site has fallen into disrepair and there are significant areas of the site which are currently both unused and unusable.
In response to this issue and opportunity the Trust has led a consortium (incorporating St Anns Allotments Campaign, NECTA, Nottingham City Council, Ecoworks and Greater Nottingham Groundwork Trust) to tackle these issues. Having successfully secured £20,000 Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) in mid 2002 the Trust commissioned a Conservation Management Plan to fully investigate the site and identify the best way forward. Undertaken by Hilary Taylor Landscape Associates this work is now complete and we are making the final touches to the next stage of HLF.
Current indications are that we will be seeking a total fund of between £4-5 million to implement infrastructure, security and facility improvements, investigate new training opportunities and innovative water and energy solutions across the site. These works will enable both new and existing gardeners to continue whilst also attracting new horticultural and construction training programmes to the site as a 'true' regeneration package. Should we be successful it is anticipated that works will commence around Easter 2004.
For more information contact Harry Bury on 9112011 or e-mail: harry@renewaltrust.org.uk
