ALLOTMENT holders are celebrating a victory after negotiating a council U-turn on proposed 100 per cent rent rises for plot rents.

Hyndburn’s green fingered community launched a campaign in fury at hearing they faced forking out hundreds of pounds with a rise in their rent.

However campaigners say they are now in ‘positive talks’ with Hyndburn Council regarding the rents and facilities.

Allotment holders, who have formed a new borough-wide group The Hyndburn Federation of Allotments, have received pledges that rents will not rise until 2013 and then only in line with other leisure cost rises, expected to be a fraction of the earlier proposals.

The group also welcomed news that the post of the council’s Allotments Officer, which had been left empty for some months has has now been filled.

Cath Holmes from the HFA said: “Things are progressing very positively.

The group have been having some good discussions with the new allotments officer, Ian Marfleet about issues we have been having.

“He is an allotments holder himself and is being really helpful. The councillors have also been very supportive and say the rents will only rise in line with other leisure costs..It was the sudden steep rise, with nothing to show for it that we objected to.”

Council leader Miles Parkinson said: “We have been having very positive talks with allotment holders and the portfolio holder, Coun Ciaran Wells wrote to every allotment holder and took their concerns very seriously.

“We hope to continue this positive relationship with allotment holders in the borough from this point onward.”

Coun Ciaran Wells said: “Working with the allotment holders has ben really productive because together we can agree on ways to drive down costs.

“The key is to make sure there is discussion both ways and that we can keep things afloat”.