UK developers will include food-growing areas on the rooftops, balconies and walls of new building schemes in Brighton, where demand for garden allotments is extremely high.
The provision of food growing opportunities is part of the city’s commitment to sustainable development.
“Urban food growing is an international movement now being taken seriously by both policy makers and planners as a way of achieving a range of diverse benefits,” said the city council in a planning advice note. It added that benefits included better physical and mental health, more biodiversity in cities, reducing carbon emissions from long distance food distribution and greening the urban landscape. Green walls and roofs can regulate a building’s temperature, saving energy and further reducing emissions.
The planning advice note applies to commercial, residential and mixed use developments, and if applicable, to conversions. Building planners will need to consider factors such as water supply, the weight of growing media and access to light. – Alan Harman
