Shropshire road verges to become vegetable patches for the community

The initiative was the idea of Labour councillor Rosemary Dartnall

Road verges could become vegetable patches used to grow food for food schemes.

Shropshire Council has agreed to allow community groups to make use of small plots of public land across the county.

Rosemary Dartnall, who promoted the scheme, said plots as small as 4m squared could be used and the produce could be used within the community.

It was unanimously voted through and Ms Dartnall said the scheme would start small but could reach many people.

"Once everything starts to grow it would be a snowball effect and could reach an awful lot of people," she said.

"People who perhaps live in apartments, don't have gardens or gardens where they can't grow things themselves, they'll have the opportunity to get involved, do the work themselves or supporting others, or just use the veg and the fruit that comes from this initiative."

Councillors hope the scheme will improve food resilience and biodiversity

People and community groups will be able to apply to their town or parish council to transform unused pockets of land.

The proposal said the scheme had the potential for a positive impact on nourishment and the environment as well as mental and physical health and community cohesion. Contaminated or unsuitable ground could be used for beekeeping or composting.

Ms Dartnall, a Labour councillor for Bayston Hill, Column and Sutton, said the timing of the scheme was yet to be confirmed as the seasons change.

"I'm really pleased to have brought it to council and that councillors have seen the value of it," she said.