Community Growers: How Agnew Lane Community Garden’s bid for land ownership offers hope and opportunity
After a long battle, Agnew Lane Community Garden’s bid for community ownership was approved. The proposal comes after years of transforming the derelict space into a community garden after the original vegetable garden was bulldozed, without warning by Hunters Homes.
By Rory MacNeish | Photos by Rob Reid
“Our feeling is that when you invite people to come and build the space themselves, then the community as a whole will respect the land,” says Gene, looking over the Agnew Lane Community Garden which she has played a key role in establishing.
Some teenagers relax behind us as Gene and Rob, two members of the garden’s steering group, explain the ethos guiding the project and their hopes to gain community ownership of the lane to build a sustainable future.
“We want this to be an open environment – no gate, no lock and key. This is a space where people can come and go as they please,” says Gene. One of the teenagers sings to them and grins as he cycles out the lane.
The garden was first started in 2020 by a local young person’s food solidarity group who wanted to grow vegetables to give to local food banks. Lacking anywhere to do this, they came to the run-down space on Agnew Lane, cleared the rubbish and began planting.
Gene explains the reason for taking this original approach of direct action: “Food banks are woefully lacking fresh produce, so we walked over with bushels of stuff and asked if they wanted it.” The garden’s crops include garlic, lettuce, chard, kale, herbs, squash, broad beans and carrots.
Receiving the bulk of their donations are the Al-Khair Foundation and Glasgow Food Not Bombs. Al-Khair told Greater Govanhill that “fresh food is very much appreciated” and those receiving it “are so happy” to have vegetables. Glasgow Food Not Bombs said: “It’s incredibly cool that Agnew Lane are reclaiming a bit of the commons and using it to benefit the community.”
Gene describes how the growers decide what food to plant with the recipients in mind: “A lot of the stuff we tend to grow because it’s going to last long on the shelf and provide larger meals.”
The garden’s structures used to grow this food were built using donated materials, making the project one link within a circular local economy. Rob explains: “A good example of our upcycling is our greenhouse which is a mix of tenement windows and covid sneeze guards.”
Some of their resources come from organisations like the Circular Arts Network, others are discarded items found on the street which the group repurposes. Gene is particularly proud of two bathtubs dug into the earth which now form garden ponds populated by frogs.
A core group of around 30 growers maintain the garden each Sunday, they are joined by dozens of others who attend when they have time. “And they’re as welcome as anyone else is,” says Rob. Part of their motivation to keep the garden easily accessible is due to the limited opportunities that exist to learn about growing food in the Southside. Rob explains: “The Queen’s Park allotments are great but there’s an effective 400 year waiting list on that. We’re always open for people to come in.”
One of the project’s regulars, Em, mentions the benefits this allows: “It’s really good for my mental health, it’s nice to see your efforts materialise.” Another, Frank, says: “In one way it can feel light-hearted – getting your hands dirty learning new skills,” but, after a moment, adds: “We need hopeful spaces, and the buyout signifies hope.”
Before the group’s arrival, the lane had been left as “a wasteland” by its owner, says Rob. In 2007, the plot was purchased by the property developer Hunter Homes LLP. They demolished the existing building there after being given permission by the council to build eight mews properties on the location.
After this, nothing happened. The space was left to decline until 2011 when an earlier project led by South Seeds began a vegetable garden there. This grew into a community with around 200 people involved. But in 2014, with no warning, Hunter Homes had the garden bulldozed.
The lane fell into neglect for years again, until the Agnew Lane Community Garden began clearing the space and planting there once more. They are still removing rubble from the land.
In their bid for community ownership, the group applied for Community Right to Buy status which has been approved by Scottish Government ministers. This means they have officially registered their interest in owning the land, and if Hunter Homes decides to put the lane up for sale, then the group would first be given an opportunity to buy it before anyone else can make an offer.
The application process to get to this stage was long and difficult, but helping to guide them through it was Heather Yearwood, a development officer at Community Land Scotland. This is an umbrella organisation which gives a collective voice to community landowners from across the country and offers advice to groups seeking community ownership of land.
Heather says that the group’s success means that government ministers: “Think the project is a solid, sustainable development proposal that is in the public interest.” This is also recognised by neighbours of the lane. To gain approval for their right to buy status, the group had to inform locals of the project’s aims. “We got very positive responses from all of them,” says Rob.
Their plan for Agnew Lane includes providing long-term local opportunities. Gene explains: “Our intention is to have the community build the space. So, you could come in to learn timber framing, how to plumb something in, or about organic remediation of land that has toxins in it.” To achieve this, they would construct a workshop in the garden, as well as a community kitchen, to host classes where people could develop different skills.
Heather describes the benefits that volunteer opportunities could have for the wider area: “This allows your community members to upskill, which then gives them things for their CV and in the long-term that will bring wealth back into the area.” She adds: “I think that Agnew Lane have really successfully evidenced the long-term financial sustainability of the project through their proposal.”
Discussing these plans as we stand in the drizzle, Gene is visibly enthused: “What we’re sitting on is a development idea that is going to be of benefit in so many ways to this neighbourhood.” Rob nods, adding: “It’s just flourished to the nicest group of folk ever. I want to keep seeing that and bringing more people into this.”
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