A site once plagued by fly tipping and litter in West London has been transformed into a community allotment site. It is the latest derelict site taken on and replenished by Hounslow Council.
Earlier this year Westmacott Orchard was one of the first sites opened by the council. The new allotments are at Faggs Road North in Green Man Lane, Bedfont.
The area had been used as a “dumping ground” for household waste, including toys and furniture. A year of renovation work on the site ended on Wednesday (June 4), with planting expected to continue.
The space includes new allotment plots and a communal growing space which the council hopes will be utilised by community groups and schools. The site will offer growing sessions and the chance to learn about biodiversity.
This is part of Hounslow Council’s ‘Grow for the Future’ scheme, which was awarded £165,000 from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2023. The scheme was designed to support residents experiencing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis by allowing them to learn how to grow their own food.
A number of different foods and herbs have already been planted on the site. The orchard includes quince, often used to make jam, almonds, and mint.
Part of the scheme includes partnering with local schools to run forest schools at the newly replenished green spaces. Hounslow Council is currently reaching out to find a partner school for the Bedfont site.
Accessible Allotments is a charity that teaches adults with additional needs environmental education. On a nearby site, John Patterson, a volunteer, says over 80 people have already benefited.
John described the replenished ex-fly-tipping hotspot as “incredible”. He said: “When I first visited the site, it was overgrown with lots of rubbish.
“This is the first time I have been back in two years and the space is incredible. It will be amazing to see the wider Feltham community benefit from this green space.”
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces says the new allotments will help to relieve pressure on Hounslow’s allotment waiting list, which currently sits at around a three year wait.
He said: ““It was my great pleasure to officially open this site and see this wasteland transformed into a wonderful community garden and allotments that benefit Feltham residents.
“The Community will now have the opportunity to get their hands dirty and grow their own fruit and vegetables. Revitalising this space is part of Grow for the Future programme to transform neglected spaces into places where people can grow their own food and learn about healthy living.”
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