A Lancaster district food network has successfully purchased a three acre plot of land just outside the city centre.
LESS (Lancaster District) CIC bought the land off Ashton Road as part of the wider FoodFutures strategy, with funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity grant, and a donation from a charitable trust.
The purchase totalled approximately £300,000.
Known as Summerhouse Farm, the land, which includes a large modern barn and open fields, backs onto the Lancaster Canal.
It had previously been used for grazing pigs and horses, and will now be held for community benefit in perpetuity.
Plans and ideas for the land include food production, community building and education and training.
Ellen Pearce, from LESS, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we’ve been able to purchase a small amount of land including a large modern barn for a Lancaster city-centre community farm.
“Access to land for food growing is a key element of the Our Shared Food Futures 10-year community food strategy, which sets out a vision for a healthy, resilient and fair food system in North Lancashire.
“However, it can be difficult to find suitable land within easy reach of the urban centres and the capital funding needed is out of reach for most people.
‘’That’s why we’re committed to putting land into community ownership in the district.”
Over the next few months, there will be a community co-design process to imagine how best the site might be used and designed to produce food.
Around 25 people from the Lancaster area and further afield recently attended a permaculture design course at the site, and mapped out dreams, ideas and aspirations for its future use.
LESS is a not for profit enterprise which coordinates local food work and runs the Plot (a market garden which grows organic veg) and trains new food growers.
LESS is part of North Lancashire’s FoodFutures food partnership which brings together organisations and individuals in the district to dream of a fairer local food system.
Jamie Murphy, FoodFutures Partnership Chair, said: “The acquisition of Summerhouse Farm represents a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved in our FoodFutures partnership.
“A new community farm in our district will create more chances for more of our community to help create a thriving local food system that is healthy, resilient and fair.
“I’m personally really excited by the project and the possibilities it brings to the district and my thanks go to all the people and funders who worked so hard to make it happen.”
A discussion on ‘recommoning’ and a shared meal will take place at a community think tank meeting at The Friends Meeting House on May 2.
Anyone interested in putting land and other community assets back into common ownership is invited to attend.
You can book on to the free event here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/EOUX
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