From the archive: harvesting the city

Our new Practical Hope guide on overheating explored how communities can help prevent the urban heat island effect. One example was the creation of green infrastructure via community gardens, such as Dalston Eastern Curve Garden in London. While this benefit is newly recognised, the health and social benefits of community gardens are well established. In this month’s blog, we reflect on two exemplar community gardens from 1996, and consider how these are still relevant today.

In her article ‘Harvesting the City’ (Town & Country Planning journal, 1996), Tara Garnett calls for food growing spaces to be more mainstreamed in urban planning. She hails their environmental, health, educational, community and even local economic benefits, and questions why these spaces aren’t more common. The article considers three key barriers: soil contamination, a lack of strategic coordination between local authority departments, and a lack of development workers and adequate funding.

‘The necessary land exists: what does not is the political will’

Garnett suggests numerous local agencies that local authorities could work with to enable more of these projects. But the main solution she explores is in the form of two case studies: Becontree Organic Growers and The Calthorpe Project. Both these examples demonstrate how local voices can unite to acquire disused land, and take a hands-on approach to transform these into urban oases, with only limited resources and funding. Both sites’ successes stem from becoming not just a space for growing, but a space for wildlife, education and community events.

The greatest success can be seen in The Calthorpe Project in north London, that is still thriving today. Following local objection to the development of an office block on the site, Camden Council worked with the community to develop and fund a community plan for it. At the time of the article, Garnett reflected on The Calthorpe Project’s inclusive educational programmes, variety of individual, children's and communal plots, and its 40,000 plus visits. Now 19 years further on, the project is 40-years-old and also hosts sports training and a ‘garden cabin’ community space, with a thriving schedule of daily events.

Despite the funding and time barriers presented by Garnett in her article, The Calthorpe Project shows how local people can come together to create welcoming, supportive community spaces that stand the test of time - and how community growing can be the catalyst.

Want to make change in your community? Read our new guides: Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action

From the archive: Harvesting the City from the November 1996 Town and Country Planning journal

Photo: Calthorpe community garden. Image taken from article.

By Jeanette Aves