Consultation on Proposed Lease of Land at Papermill Road, Greenock

The Council proposes to dispose of land at Papermill Road, Overton, Greenock (extending to 1.34 Hectares or thereby – the Property) by the grant of a lease to Permallot, a Community Group who have expressed an interest in the Property, in the terms detailed below.

The proposed lease terms are:

  • the start date has yet to be agreed;
  • the length of the lease has yet to be agreed, however a lease of between 5 and 25 years is anticipated;
  • the Property will be used to develop organic allotments within a permaculture setting together with classes for educational and community purposes;
  • for a discounted rent; and
  • on normal commercial full repairing and insuring terms.

A plan showing the Property is  available for download from the documents section of this page, or can be requested from the Council's Property team on the details shown in the contacts section of this page.

Any person may object to the proposal either by email to property@inverclyde.gov.uk or in writing to the Head of Legal Services, Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, Clyde Square, GREENOCK, PA15 1LX. Any objections or representations received, together with the details of the party or parties making such representations or comments, will appear in a publically available report to the Council’s Environment and Regeneration Committee
Representations or objections should be made by no later than 5pm on 28 April 2021 and should state the grounds on which they are made.

Pemallot have provided the Council with a business plan on their proposals for use of this Site (and others). The information in the following paragraphs has been taken from that business plan and details what they intent to do with the Site. A downloadable verison of the following is available from the documents section of this page.

Permallot Community Group (Permallot) (the Group) is a not-for-profit group run by community members for community members. All members are directors and vice versa and all are unpaid volunteers.
Permallot has been established for the purpose of obtaining land and providing organic allotments within a permaculture setting for the people of Inverclyde. The Group proposes to assume management and control of two sites, one at Caddlehill Street and the other at Papermill Road, Overton. Permallot will provide top level guidance and strategy, seek funding and oversee a team of volunteers who will execute the day-to-day operation of the sites.
The initial purpose of the Group is to establish and promote the sites and most especially encourage the cultivation and enjoyment of these allotments by anyone in the local community. In so doing, the Group will share knowledge and create social bonds by nurturing, encouraging, educating and supporting a strong community of growers from all backgrounds and all abilities.
Permaculture is a method of sustainable agriculture that encourages composting, no dig gardening and getting the most out of the uninterrupted mycelium networks under the soil.
The Group currently has a committee of 10 members and this is not expected to change in the near future. The Volunteer Corps currently has 3 members and this is expected to grow as and when more volunteers are required and can be recruited. Election of office bearers shall be every 3 years as stated in the official constitution. 
Central to their strategy is to be heavily involved with the wider community. Permallot intends to become a very visible element of the community by supporting, attending and exhibiting at existing local events, making presentations, holding open days and other public events.
They will support ‘back yard grows’ by gathering reclaimed and recycled wood to build raised planters, making people aware of the free compost available at Pottery Street and teaching people about saving seeds.
The Group will invite local schools to make use of their learning zone and will provide instruction and support to teachers who want to deliver basic gardening classes, and run a course geared towards children and permaculture.
They seek to run courses of a creative nature, working with local artists and musicians to keep the community engaged through the winter months when food production declines and people are less inclined to visit allotments.
They will provide gardening therapy for individuals referred by mental health support services and host a meditation class.
Permallot will liaise with Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership and provide structured work and basic food growing skills to individuals on a community payback order, and provide them with a reference and a volunteer placement for those with an interest in continuing to develop their gardening knowledge.
Wherever possible they will continue to grow their knowledge by hosting courses by specialists (e.g. wild foraging courses) and running educational trips to top Scottish market gardens and permaculture centres.
Papermill Road/Overton site– Permallot proposals
Overton will be the site of the allotments and also a teaching point. Proposed features:
- 2 x polytunnels
- 18-30 allotment plots up to 250 m2
- Chickens
- Composting area
- multi-purpose shed for classes and meetings.
In lieu of their having the infrastructure to run the services they want to, the group has had offers from Branchton community centre and Belville Gardens to use their premises to train their volunteers and run classes should they need to.
The committee will form 2 project teams for this and another site to ensure they are developed together as if they were one, and then run them in tandem to meet their objectives.