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Moray allotment group face uncertain future

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The future of a Moray gardening group is hanging the balance following a fruitless pursuit of a permanent site

Elgin Allotment Association has been trying to secure a council-owned site began in 2007.

Now, following eight years and more than 30 failed proposals, the association’s acting chairwoman Rebecca Kail says she has lost all hope of ever getting a plot.

And the group has registered an official complaint, accusing the local authority of failing to meet the Scottish Government’s national standards for community engagement.

The 15-strong association thought it had finally achieved success when the council earmarked a third of an acre in a field beside the new Elgin High School for allotments in March.

However, the local authority has now shelved this plan for at least 24 months because the area is required to store peat during construction of the school.

Yesterday, Mrs Kail, 45, said: “I don’t have any great confidence we will get that site in two years just because the council said that is what is going to happen.

“They haven’t provided allotments when they have a legal responsibility to where there is a demand, and after all the discussions we have had over the years, we have just run out of steam.

“Another two years will mean 10 years since we started. Some of us had toddlers when we first started looking for allotments and some of those toddlers are now in secondary school.

“We have decided we will withdraw from the whole process of trying to run the community allotment.”

Mrs Kail, a development worker with Reap, added: “We are currently sharing a private garden off Wards Road. We get on well with the landowner, which is super, but a lot of the members want the security of a permanent plot.”

A council spokesman said: “A suitable site adjacent to the proposed new high school was identified for allotments, but this area will now be needed during the construction phase.

“The high school is a naturally a higher priority for Moray Council than the provision of allotments, but nonetheless it is hoped these will be provided for once the school is complete.”