The effects of bonfires at the Cat Lane allotments has been a topic of discussion for residents recently – with some raising concerns about the impact the fires have on air quality.

In response to this the Allotment Advisory Committee, chaired by Labour councillor Garry Weatherall, discussed the issue last week and consulted with Public Health England for evidence. The science indicates there is no direct evidence nationally of a link between the burning of bonfires and respiratory health issues in houses surrounding allotment sites, however the Committee recognised that the issue of bonfires is a concern for some, and wanted to explore further with a more localised approach. 

As such the Council will install monitoring equipment around the allotments on Cat Lane which will use remote telemetry to monitor atmospheric pollution. The results of this will also be compared with data from Carfield School where other monitoring is taking place.

The monitoring costs have been authorised by Labour councillors as part of the Allotments budget.

Speaking about this issue Cate McDonald, Labour Councillor for Gleadless Valley, said:

“Local residents have raised concerns about the impact that bonfire burning from the allotments has on localised air pollution – and I think it’s important we look into this. The Car Lane allotments are rightly loved by many, and we’re certainly not looking at changing anything at present, but it’s right that this is monitored to see what the impact is, and then make any changes accordingly”.