Five municipalities seek new rules for allotment gardens

Five Danish municipalities are asking two ministers to review rules on allotment gardens, citing illegal year-round residence, welfare fraud and overbuilding, DR reports.

Aarhus, Odense, Ballerup, Vejle and Randers want a meeting with Justice Minister Nicolai Wammen and Minister for Urban, Rural and Transport Affairs Signe Munk. They are seeking a constructive discussion on updating legislation and giving authorities better tools to address the problems.

“Municipalities are taking responsibility, but we also need Parliament to consider whether the legislation gives us the tools needed to do the job,” said Lars Christian Lilleholt, Odense Municipality’s councillor for urban affairs and culture.

The municipalities are calling for a clear definition of an allotment garden and year-round residence, as well as clear rules on sanctions. They also want a coordinated review of the legal and administrative framework.

Under the rules described on the public information portal borger.dk, an allotment garden is a garden plot in an allotment garden area. Plots must average no more than 400 square metres, buildings cannot be used as year-round homes, and owners must have a residence elsewhere. Overnight stays in allotment cottages are generally not allowed during winter, though municipalities can set local rules.

In a joint letter to the ministers, the municipalities cited TV 2’s documentary “The Lawless Allotment Gardens,” which showed some owners building homes substantially larger than permitted and using them throughout the year. They said the aim should be rules that preserve the gardens’ original purpose while giving municipalities, police and other authorities better ways to deal with problems that have developed in recent years.