THE first-ever allotments could be provided in Hemsby, as more calls are made for environmentally friendly lifestyles and fresh food.Such has been the pace of progress towards getting land for up to 30 plots, that the newly-formed Hemsby Allotments Association has already earmarked a number of potential sites in the village.

THE first-ever allotments could be provided in Hemsby, as more calls are made for environmentally friendly lifestyles and fresh food.

Such has been the pace of progress towards getting land for up to 30 plots, that the newly-formed Hemsby Allotments Association has already earmarked a number of potential sites in the village.

The association's 12 members discussed a three-acre site next to the village hall at a meeting on Wednesday.

The aim is to find a site providing space to grow fruit and vegetables, but also facilities for the changing demographic of visiting allotment sites, such as providing toilets and a children's play area. The village hall site meets these criteria as there are public toilets and a play area nearby.

Another possible site is the so-called “Maize Maze” on farmland off Yarmouth Road, but there are a number of hurdles that need to be overcome with this option, including the cost of renting the plots and getting planning permission for the allotments.

Other land mentioned at Wednesday's meeting included areas in Common Road and Kings Loke.

Over 60 people have come forward expressing an interesting in renting a plot in the village after association member and the Mercury's Hemsby correspondent Peggy Sutton put an appeal in the Village Life section for possible allotment holders.

The appeal followed a phone call from Newport man Michael Lea made to Mrs Sutton to see if she knew of any allotments within the village. He has a plot at Fremantle Road in Great Yarmouth, but wanted to find a plot in Hemsby.

A trickle of responses quickly became a steady flow so she decided to set up a campaign to get allotments in Hemsby and began asking local farmers if they had any spare land.

The association was started earlier this month.

Nut gone are the days when the allotment was the preserve of the stereotypical retired gentleman in a peak cap smoking a pipe; these days more women and young families can be seen tending to their plots.

The association's chairman Noel Galer said members were speaking to the parish council to see if the council could take on the running of an allotment site, but negotiations were still at an early stage.

He said: “There is such a huge demand for this kind of thing. There are more ladies and children getting involved. We are trying to create an amenity in the village.”

The next stage is to continue the negotiations with landowners followed by submitting a planning application to Yarmouth Borough Council.