ALLOTMENT land could be sold – and raise millions of pounds for Royston Town Council. Members of the town council s town premises committee have decided to research the situation. The move came after members were given a report on allotments at Coombes

ALLOTMENT land could be sold - and raise millions of pounds for Royston Town Council.

Members of the town council's town premises committee have decided to "research" the situation.

The move came after members were given a report on allotments at Coombes Hole in Royston and told that six other alternative sites around Royston had been identified.

These sites could be used as allotment plots.

This would release the current four-and-a-half acre allotment site for housing development - which in the current market could be worth £1 million-an-acre.

Cllr Rod Kennedy said it could mean re-locating the current allotments to a site which would provide improved facilities.

He said he could "accept in principle" an investigation into whether other sites were acceptable for allotments.

Town mayor and committee chairman Cllr Lynn Berry said the idea of re-locating the allotments could be considered as a "viable proposition".

But to actually sell allotment land the town council would need permission from the Government - and prove that the allotment site was being under-used.

Such a move would probably not be accepted at the moment as there are currently almost 50 people on a waiting list for an allotment plot. The town council, too, under legislation covering the provision of allotments would have to make "suitable arrangements" in making sure that an alternative site was available.