Belfast’s Alleyways Present Opportunity for Crop Cultivation

The alleyways of Belfast possess the capacity to support the cultivation of produce such as carrots, turnips, and cabbages. This assertion stems from a “manifesto” advocating for the revitalization and community utilization of more than 200km of these urban passages. These proposals originate from the 9ft in Common project, named after the characteristic 9-foot width of Belfast’s alleys. The project’s calculations indicate a minimum of 202km (126 miles) of alleyways within Belfast, an expanse comparable to more than 76 football pitches. While residents in certain Belfast neighborhoods have transformed the alleyways situated behind their homes into communal gardens or recreational areas for children, 9ft in Common, led by Belfast residents Amberlea Neely and Aisling Rusk, noted that numerous alleyways remain “forgotten spaces” possessing “untapped potential.” The project team has developed a digital map of Belfast’s alleys, accessible on their website, and has traversed many of these routes, gathering narratives from inhabitants and conducting guided walking tours. This work culminated in their Manifesto for the Alleys, which outlines various suggestions for expanding the utility of Belfast’s alleyways. The manifesto states that these alleyways constitute over 500,000 square metres of unutilized “green space,” an area equivalent to more than 76 football pitches, exceeding the size of four Botanic Gardens, or pathways extending over 18 times the length of the Comber Greenway. Ms. Neely commented, “Reclaiming this much needed public realm space could greatly benefit the city’s biodiversity, growing potential and residents’ mental health.” She added that “If just 10% of the area occupied by the city’s alleys were converted into edible growing spaces, the productivity of Belfast’s alleys could be transformative.” The two women have collaborated with Laurelbank Farm, an organic agricultural enterprise located near Saintfield in County Down. Consequently, their manifesto – which was commissioned under the Belfast 2024 project and received financial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund – asserted that Belfast’s alleyways “could yield significant crops.” Their projections indicated that these alleyways have the capacity to produce approximately 1.4 million carrots; one million beetroots; 600,000 bunches of parsley; 350,000 garlic bulbs; 250,000 turnips; or 110,000 cabbages. The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alliance councillor Micky Murray, has expressed approval for the Manifesto for the Alleys. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.