Right to Grow

What is Right to Grow? 

Right to Grow is a campaign led by Incredible Edible, calling on local authorities to make community growing more accessible.  The campaign aligns closely with the goals of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) and asks local authorities to: 

• Map out and publish all public sector land suitable for growing. 

• Create a simple process where communities can apply to cultivate this land (for food growing or environmental enhancements) for a defined period without the need for a formal lease or complex license. 

• Have the opportunity to bid for land they are using if it is going to be sold. 

This aims to streamline the process of land acquisition and make urban growing more accessible. Local authorities are adopting different versions of Right to Grow based on what is both transformative and feasible for their area. 

Find out more about the Right to Grow on the Incredible Edible website. 

What’s happening in Edinburgh? 

As demand for urban community growing increases, the City of Edinburgh Council is considering adopting a Right to Grow policy.  Right to Grow aligns with the Council’s broader objectives of enhancing community resilience, promoting sustainability, and supporting the city’s response to the climate and nature emergencies declared by the Council. 

We are currently exploring what a Right to Grow programme could look like in Edinburgh. This includes working with local community growing groups to identify current barriers and opportunities, and how Right to Grow can help.  

The next step will be to draft a proposal for the implementation of Right to Grow in Edinburgh. This proposal will be reviewed by Councillors in the summer of 2025. 

Get Involved 

We want communities and growing groups to be part of every step of this process. If you're interested in getting involved, please contact us at: thrivinggreenspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk .