Colegrave Road Community Garden - People Powered Places Proposal

Community gardening

In 2019, 10.5 square miles of vacant land have been unused in London. Community gardens provide a wealth of benefits for the physical and mental wellbeing of the communities, connect people from different backgrounds and create a feeling of belonging. Children playfully learn about life sciences. The ecosystems, the fauna and flora, benefit vastly, as well as the positive effects of cooling, avoid flooding, blocking UV rays and generating oxygen through photosynthesis.

Proposal:

We, SMP on behalf of the Chandos Neighbourhood, propose to to use of the derelict and empty plot of land 148 Colgrave Road to be turned into a community garden. We are planning to install raised beds, planters, compost heaps and wildlife sanctuaries. The garden will be open for the community for seed swaps, planting and growing, natural pest control, gardening courses and a harvest gathering.This proposal reflects the wishes and ambitions of the neighbourhood community.

We, the Dunmow, Colegrave and Chandos Road Neighbourhood group, hereby propose to the Council that we be given access to the vacant property at 148 Colgrave road for Meanwhile use as a Community Garden.

The land was once a path behind the row of houses on Dunmow Road, west side, and was part of the Chandos Green until the Community Centre/Education was built as part of the Olympic Games accommodation. However, it has been vacant since then, and has been used as dumping ground. It poses a considerable security risk to the residents of the terraced houses on Dunmow Road, west side, as burglars can enter their gardens almost unseen over the wall from the empty plot.

The lock on the fence has been broken several times. Using the site as a community garden would stop these incidents and ensure security.

But that's not the only benefit of a community garden: improving physical and mental well-being, a sense of community, gardening classes and seed swaps, as well as sowing - planting - growing - harvesting and sharing food.

A compost heap takes a considerable amount of food waste and turns it into fertile soil. The produce can be shared on a Harvest Gathering.

A community garden benefits children and older people alike. Children learn important knowledge through play and experience first-hand how food grows, and older people come out of their isolation and get to know neighbours.

Please see the extended proposal with a detailed description of the benefits and requirements.

Than you for consideration,

Selene