Right to Grow
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:
- 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.
What’s happening in Edinburgh?
As demand for urban community growing increases, the City of Edinburgh Council has been 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.
To explore what a Right to Grow programme could look like in Edinburgh, we have been working with local community growing groups to identify current barriers and opportunities, and how Right to Grow can help.
The Right to Grow scoping report, which explores options for the implementation in Edinburgh, was reviewed by the Culture and Communities Committee on 2 October 2025. Watch the full discussion on the Council webcast.
Councillors have recommended that Right to Grow receive funding to support initial delivery. Budget allocation will be determined by senior management and Councillors in the coming year, and although it isn't guaranteed, this is still a very encouraging step forward.
In the meantime, are also exploring how Right to Grow might be extended into additional spaces – for example, private backgreens, gardens, and tenement areas, and how residents could be supported to make better use of these spaces for growing.
Who's growing what where?
Another output of our work around Right to Grow so far is the newly updated map of community growing projects in Edinburgh:
Community Food Growing Projects in Edinburgh 2025
If you’d like to add to or update a project on the map, please get in touch at: thrivinggreenspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk.
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 .