Two village allotment sites have been awarded grants from South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) to improve security and water provision.
The funds have been awarded to Histon and Impington Town Charity for its Cottenham Road allotments, and to Histon and Impington Parish Council for the Gatehouse Road site. Both are among 16 projects across South Cambridgeshire awarded a share of £100,000 from SCDC’s Allotment Improvement Grant programme.
Security fencing
Histon and Impington Town Charity will receive the full £3,600 it applied for to install security fencing at its Cottenham Road allotments, following repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour. Over the years, plot holders have reported thefts of tools and crops, damage to sheds, and incidents of arson.
Thanking the District Council for the grant, charity trustee Max Parish said: “This situation has not been helped by the site being open to Cottenham Road and in recent years has led to requests to make the 3.6-acre site more secure.”
He explained that spending money on the allotments reduces funds available for the charity’s core purpose of supporting Histon and Impington residents “in need, hardship or distress”. In 2012, for example, £4,000 was spent to supply borehole water for the site after agreeing with tenants an annual fee increase over five years to pay for the project.
Max said: “However, there is no benefit to the charity of spending two years’ allotment fees on items such as fencing. This grant, therefore, will allow us to go a long way towards satisfying the demand for more secure allotments for the tenants whilst maintaining the benefit we are able to the village communities.”
The Cottenham Road allotments date back to the 1890s. According to the grant application, 50 of the site’s 52 plots are currently in use. It is hoped the fencing will also help control pests entering the site and allow more growers to be accommodated.
Despite approving the grant, in their report Council officers noted concerns “about the effectiveness of the fencing alone in deterring theft and anti-social behaviour”.
Gatehouse Road
At Gatehouse Road, H&I Parish Council has been awarded £5,000 towards installing a water supply to support existing tenants and encourage new plot holders. The Council has also committed £5,000 of its own funds towards the borehole project, which is expected to be completed by summer 2027.
Of the site’s 36 plots, eight are currently vacant. Twenty-two tenants have paid rent for the year, while six plots are allocated for community use. Council officers highlighted the strong community engagement at the site, with plots “dedicated to communal use, shared produce, and involvement from local groups such as Brownies and youth organisations”.
Grant scheme
Both applications were supported by Histon and Impington’s three district councillors – Cllr James Rixon, Cllr Sunita Hansraj and Cllr Martin Cahn – and were approved by SCDC’s Grants Advisory Committee.
The three main areas for funding were improving toilets, enhancing pest control, and ensuring reliable water provision such as mains water connections or rainwater harvesting systems. Other projects include storage sheds, an apple juicing kit, picnic benches, and accessible pathways.
Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “These grants will make a real difference to local communities by improving facilities and creating welcoming spaces that support health, wellbeing, and sustainability.”
For more information about the grant scheme or future funding opportunities, please contact duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 712987.
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