Richmond Council is spending £220,000 to clear the
Shacklegate Lane allotments — Teddington's only remaining plots, cherished for
over 100 years — and turn them into burial ground.
Take half the site instead and the council saves over £100,000.
The Shacklegate Lane allotments have been part of Teddington life for over 100 years.
They're the last allotments in the area — and Richmond Council plans to take them away.
Closing 1 October 2026: Richmond Council approved planning application PA25/3013
in December 2025, changing the land use from allotments to cemetery. It has now set aside
£220,000 to clear the whole site, with closure set for 1 October 2026 and the
remaining plot holders due to leave. We have asked the council to pause and work out how much
burial land it actually needs first. See what we are asking for →
The council claims that the cemetery was approaching capacity, and they decided the easiest solution for them was to take the allotment land next door.
Planning application PA25/3013 was submitted by the council itself — unusual because it was the council applying for permission to use its own land.
Despite 57+ formal planning objections from residents, the Planning Committee voted it through in December 2025.
What makes this particularly galling is that every allotment site in the Richmond borough already has a waiting list of several years.
These plots are in demand — families, elderly residents, and community growers all depend on them.
Closing Teddington's last allotments doesn't just affect the current plot holders: it extinguishes the possibility for future residents entirely.
The council has said it will offer "alternative plots on other sites and assistance to move" to displaced plot holders.
But alternative allotment sites in Teddington simply do not exist — and commuting to another part of the borough for a patch of growing space defeats the point.
This is a short-term fix that permanently destroys a long-term community resource.
Shacklegate Lane, Teddington
The only remaining allotment site in Teddington — adjacent to Teddington Cemetery.
Approved December 2025
The Planning Committee passed application PA25/3013 despite significant community opposition.
Years-long waiting lists
Every allotment in Richmond borough already has a waiting list of several years. Demand is high.
1,758 signatures ignored
A formal petition signed by 1,758 residents was submitted and disregarded by the council.
The latest · 9 September 2026
£220,000 to clear a site the council may not need
Richmond Council has set aside £220,000 to reclaim the whole of Shacklegate Lane
and convert it to burial ground, with the site closing on 1 October 2026.
We are not arguing against burial provision. We are asking the council to establish how much
land it actually needs before it spends the money and destroys the allotments for good.
The council's plan
Take the whole site
£220,000
Every remaining allotment plot is lost permanently.
The full cost is committed before any assessment of existing cemetery capacity.
Teddington is left with no allotment site at all.
Our compromise
Take half the site
Over £100,000 saved
Still provides an estimated 11 years or more of burial capacity.
Buys the council time to assess unused space and grave reuse in the existing cemetery.
Keeps growing space in Teddington while that work is done.
"Why spend £220,000 before establishing whether we actually need to? Once these allotments are gone, they are gone forever. This isn't an argument against providing burial space. It is about whether Richmond Council is making the most responsible decision for residents."
What we are asking the council to do
Pause the closure and the eviction of the remaining plot holders on 1 October.
Develop the 2018 proposals the council adopted and establish how much burial land is actually required — including unused space in the existing cemetery and the reuse of older graves.
Reassess whether part, or any, of the allotment site needs to be reclaimed at all.
"We offered the Council a genuine compromise: take only half the allotments, giving them enough cemetery capacity for at least another 11 years, while potentially saving taxpayers more than £100,000 that may never need to be spent. Yet they have simply ignored it. The reality is that the Council has had nearly a decade to develop the sustainable grave-reuse strategy it promised."
Where these numbers come from. The £220,000 allocation, the £100,000 saving, the
11 years of capacity and the option comparison are the campaign's own figures, taken from our
factsheet and press release of 9 September 2026. Richmond Council has not published its own
costings or its assessment of how much burial space Teddington needs. We have asked it to do so,
and we will publish those figures here when it does. Our case is set out in full in
Richmond Online's report of 9 September 2026.
As featured in
In the national press
The campaign has reached national audiences — covered by some of the UK's biggest outlets.
"This isn't just a piece of land. It's a living, breathing part of our community. Since the council first made the decision in the 1990s, the world has changed. People care more than ever about sustainability, about access to green spaces, about mental and physical wellbeing and about locally-grown food."
In pictures
What we stand to lose
From a refuge for pollinators and wildlife to abundant harvests - these allotments are a living, working green space providing healthy, local food in the heart of Teddington.
Photos taken at Shacklegate Lane allotments by plot holders and supporters.
Listen
The campaign has a song
Local musician James Dylan Thomson has written and recorded an original protest song for the Shacklegate Lane allotments. Play it, share it, and let it travel further than a council report ever will.
Save Shacklegate Lane Allotments
An original protest song for Teddington's last allotments: over a century of growing, 1,758 signatures, and a council vote that ignored them all.
From a cherished community space to a planning battle — here's the story so far.
In the early 1990s, the council took a large swathe of the original allotment site. In the intervening years the world has changed. People care more than ever about sustainability, about access to green space, about mental and physical wellbeing, and about locally grown food. These are now part of everyday life. However the council's course of action has remained unchanged. So, have they signposted their intentions? Absolutely. But should they have deviated from their prescribed course of action? Yes, because it's no longer the best practice and no longer in line with their own policy priorities. They should have pivoted, and recognised the increased importance of allotments in a climate emergency, and recognised the new best practice of sustainable cemetery management that avoids cemetery expansion. They should have tried to find a solution that saves the allotments.
100+ years ago
Allotments established at Shacklegate Lane
The Shacklegate Lane allotments are created, providing growing space for Teddington residents across generations.
2007
London Local Authorities Act enables grave reuse
The London Local Authorities Act grants permission to reuse old graves, providing London boroughs with a legal mechanism to extend cemetery capacity without requiring new land. This gave Richmond Council a sustainable alternative to cemetery expansion — one that has never been meaningfully pursued.
2017
Scrutiny report recommends grave reuse for Richmond cemeteries
A formal scrutiny report on cemetery management recommends that Richmond Council adopt grave reuse as a sustainable approach to long-term burial capacity. The recommendation directly signals that cemetery expansion need not be the default solution — yet the Council's course remains unchanged.
June 2018
Cabinet adopts scrutiny panel recommendations
The Cabinet formally adopted the recommendations of the scrutiny panel and, in response to representation from allotment representative Candace Taylor, agreed that the allotment site would be taken back in two sections as and when needed.
2019
Council declares a Climate Emergency
Richmond Council formally declares a Climate Emergency, committing to consider climate impact as a lens across every decision it makes. Under this commitment, the environmental benefits of allotments — local food growing, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration — should have been central to any cemetery capacity review. They were not.
Summer 2025
Council announces cemetery expansion plans
Richmond Council reveals that Teddington Cemetery is approaching capacity and proposes taking over the adjacent Shacklegate Lane allotments as a solution.
57+ formal objections are submitted during the planning consultation process. Residents slam the plans, citing the loss of green space and the years-long waiting list for allotments across the borough.
2025
Teddington Society and Green Party oppose closure
The Teddington Society and the Richmond & Twickenham Green Party publicly oppose the council's plans, calling the decision to close the borough's last Teddington allotments short-sighted.
December 2025 ⚠️
Council approves its own planning application
Richmond Council's Planning Committee passes application PA25/3013 — a decision by the council on its own land. The allotments are formally approved for conversion to cemetery use, despite community opposition.
Early 2026
Petition launched — 1,758 signatures
A formal petition is submitted to Richmond Council asking it to reconsider the Shacklegate Lane allotment closure. 1,758 residents sign — the council declines to reverse its decision.
2026 — Present
Social Media campaign launches, pressure continues
Community Facebook, Instagram and X pages are established to coordinate the campaign, share updates, and keep public pressure on the council. The story reaches national audiences — covered by BBC News, The Standard, The Sunday Times, Teddington Nub News, Radio Jackie, and Yahoo News.
2026
Law Commission report recommends national approach to cemetery management
The Law Commission publishes a report recommending a national approach to cemetery management, further reinforcing the case for sustainable alternatives to cemetery expansion. Richmond's decision to proceed regardless underlines how out of step with emerging best practice this approach has been all along.
April 2026 — Now
Campaign website launches
This website goes live to bring the campaign to a wider audience. The fight to save — or properly replace — Teddington's last allotments continues. Your voice still matters.
May 2026
Local elections: Lib Dems retain full control — new councillors take office
The 7 May local elections return a Liberal Democrat council across all 54 seats in Richmond upon Thames — the same party that approved the conversion of the Shacklegate Lane allotments now holds every seat, with no opposition voices on the council to provide scrutiny. However, the elections also bring new faces: 14 of 18 wards have at least one newly elected councillor who has never voted on this issue and has not yet been lobbied. That is a direct opportunity for residents to make their case to fresh representatives before any groundworks begin.
Summer 2026
The site empties — half-site compromise offered and rejected
Only a handful of plot holders are left at Shacklegate Lane. Everyone was offered a plot on another site in the borough, but for many that swap was not workable because of accessibility problems or the travelling involved — one community group still using its plot has members with no transport to reach the replacement site. The campaign offers the council a middle way: take only half the allotments, which was the original plan, leaving the rest while a proper capacity assessment is done. The council rejects it.
9 September 2026 ⚠️
£220,000 allocated — campaign urges the council to halt the works
The campaign publishes its financial case: Richmond Council has set aside £220,000 to reclaim the whole site, and the allotments close on 1 October 2026. Taking only half would still give an estimated 11 years or more of burial capacity and save taxpayers over £100,000 that may never need to be spent. The campaign asks the council to pause the closure, develop the burial strategy it adopted in 2018, and establish how much land is actually required. The story is covered by Richmond Online the same day.
Make your voice heard
What you can do right now
The site is due to close on 1 October 2026 — but public pressure, media attention
and political scrutiny can still change outcomes, and the council has not yet spent the £220,000.
Every action below takes less than 5 minutes.
Join the Community Group
Connect with other residents fighting to save the allotments. Get updates, share ideas, and stay informed on the latest developments.
A personal email from a constituent carries real weight. Use our template below — or write your own. Ask Munira Wilson to push for a proper alternative allotment solution, and copy your ward councillors.
Copy this website link and share it everywhere — Facebook, WhatsApp, X/Twitter, Nextdoor, local groups. The more people who know, the louder the pressure gets.
View the Council Petition
The formal petition is recorded on the Richmond Council website. Share it to show the breadth of community opposition — and check for any updates on council responses.
Write to Munira Wilson, MP for Twickenham, and copy your ward councillors.
Select your ward below, choose an angle, then use the buttons to open your email app with recipients and subject line pre-filled. A message in your own words is always more effective.
⏸️ Pause the £220,000The most urgent ask, and the one with a deadline: the site closes on 1 October 2026. This template puts the money first — why commit £220,000 before checking how much burial land is actually needed?
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - Please Pause the £220,000 Closure
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the Shacklegate Lane allotments in Teddington, which are due to close on 1 October 2026. I understand the council has allocated £220,000 to reclaim the whole site and convert it to burial ground.
Before that money is spent, I would like to know what assessment has been made of the burial space the council already has. The Save Teddington Allotments campaign has offered a compromise: take only half the site, which it estimates would still provide at least eleven more years of burial capacity and save taxpayers over £100,000. That compromise has been rejected, but the reasons given have not been made public.
I would be grateful if you could ask the council to:
1. Pause the closure and the eviction of the remaining plot holders.
2. Publish its figures on remaining burial capacity at Teddington Cemetery, including unused space and the potential to reuse older graves.
3. Confirm what happened to the sustainable burial strategy the council adopted in 2018.
This is not an argument against providing burial space. It is a question about whether a large sum of public money is about to be spent unnecessarily, on something that cannot be undone.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
📋 Alternative ProvisionA straightforward, practical ask: the council must identify a real replacement site before any work begins. Good for residents who want to stay factual and solution-focused.
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - Request for Alternative Provision
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the closure of the Shacklegate Lane allotments — the only remaining allotment site in Teddington — following the approval of planning application PA25/3013 in December 2025. 1,758 residents signed a petition opposing this decision and were ignored.
The allotments have served the community for over 100 years. With borough-wide waiting lists already stretching several years, their permanent loss represents a real reduction in green space and growing provision for local residents.
I urge you to push for a proper review of whether alternative provision can be found, and whether the cemetery expansion can be redesigned to preserve some or all of the existing plots.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
🌍 Climate EmergencyChallenges the council to honour its own 2019 Climate Emergency declaration. Allotments are green infrastructure - closing them directly contradicts Richmond's stated commitments.
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - Richmond's Climate Emergency Commitments
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the decision to close the Shacklegate Lane allotments, and how it sits alongside Richmond Council's own Climate Emergency declaration of 2019. 1,758 residents signed a petition opposing this decision and were ignored.
In declaring a Climate Emergency, the council committed to treating climate impact as a lens across every decision. Allotments reduce food miles, support biodiversity, sequester carbon, and provide communities with real connection to nature. Closing Teddington's last allotment site to expand a cemetery — when sustainable alternatives such as grave reuse exist — appears directly at odds with those commitments.
I would ask you to push for a proper review of this decision in light of the council's own climate commitments.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
⚰️ Grave Reuse - Why Were Alternatives Ignored?Focuses on the council's failure to pursue grave reuse - a legal option since 2007, recommended by their own scrutiny report in 2017. Factual and hard to dismiss.
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - Why Has Grave Reuse Not Been Pursued?
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the closure of the Shacklegate Lane allotments, and the council's apparent failure to pursue a sustainable alternative that has been available for nearly two decades. 1,758 residents signed a petition opposing this decision and were ignored.
The London Local Authorities Act 2007 granted London boroughs the legal power to reuse old graves — a direct mechanism to extend cemetery capacity without requiring additional land. Richmond Council's own scrutiny report in 2017 recommended exactly this approach. Despite these clear signposts, grave reuse has never been meaningfully implemented at Teddington Cemetery.
I am asking you to require the council to explain why grave reuse was not pursued before this decision was made. Residents deserve an honest answer.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
💚 Health & WellbeingMakes the case through the lens of public health - NHS green social prescribing, mental health, elderly isolation, and the measurable benefits of access to growing space.
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - The Public Health Cost of This Decision
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the closure of the Shacklegate Lane allotments, and the direct impact on public health and community wellbeing in Teddington. 1,758 residents signed a petition opposing this decision and were ignored.
The health benefits of allotments are well established. Access to green growing space is linked to reduced anxiety and depression, improved physical health, and reduced social isolation — particularly among elderly residents. The NHS's green social prescribing programme explicitly recognises gardening and growing as effective, low-cost health interventions.
For many plot holders, especially older residents who have held these plots for decades, this space is far more than a hobby. I urge you to push for a proper health impact assessment of the closure, and to ensure that any alternative provision is genuinely local and accessible.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
🗳️ Democratic AccountabilityFocuses on process: 1,758 signatures ignored, the council approving its own planning application, and the lack of genuine community consultation. Good for residents who feel the process itself was wrong.
Subject: Shacklegate Lane Allotments - A Question of Democratic Accountability
Dear Munira Wilson / Councillor [Name],
I am writing about the closure of the Shacklegate Lane allotments, and what I consider a failure of democratic process in how this decision was reached. 1,758 residents signed a petition asking the council to reconsider. It declined.
Richmond Council was both the applicant and the decision-maker for planning application PA25/3013 — development of its own land assessed under its own planning process. 57+ formal planning objections were submitted by residents and disregarded.
At every stage, community opposition has been noted and ignored. I am asking you, as our elected representative, to push for a formal review of this decision — and to seek an explanation of why 1,758 signatures and 57+ objections were insufficient to prompt one.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
Press coverage
What the media is reporting
The story has been covered by local and regional outlets. Share these articles to spread awareness.
