AN allotment site prone to vandalism, break-ins and fly-tipping could be given a security boost.

Proposals to install new 2.4 metre high fencing at the Teak Street allotments in Blackburn are recommended to be approved when the council’s planning and highways committee meets next week.

Ghazala Sulaman-Butt, of the council’s growth team, said the issues at the site, which is the biggest allotments in Blackburn, are discouraging allotment holders from using the site and causing increasing costs to the council.

She added: “The fence will provide a secure barrier between the residential properties and the allotment site boundaries and will be positioned along the line of the council’s ownership. Any land outside of the council’s ownership will not be enclosed.

“The security of the allotment site is paramount, therefore the council seeks to improve security measures by proposing to erect 2.4m mesh fencing, which will separate the boundaries between the Council owned and private owed land.

“The fencing will help prevent fly-tipping, break-ins and theft of personal possessions from the vulnerable allotment holders, which has financial and negative health impacts on them through un-needed stress and incurring costs for replacing stolen or damaged items.”

In 2009, yobs caused thousands of pounds of damage after trashing more than half the plots.

Sheds were torched, doors and polytunnels slashed and vegetables ripped out of the ground in the rampage at the site off St James’ Road.

Bosses at the Teak Street Allotments said tenants had been left heartbroken at the damage.

Around 50 plots were vandalised and police said the scale of the damage was one of the worst seen at an allotment site in the town.

Ms Sulaman-Butt added: “The east boundary of the council-owned Teak Street Statutory Allotment site abuts the rear of privately-owned dwellings at Sycamore Road and Briar Road.

"Many of these properties have poor-condition boundary fences, relying on the allotment site fencing which has fallen into a state of disrepair.

“Allotment gardening is an activity that provides significant benefits to individuals and local communities and the environment and can make a positive change to the quality of people’s lives.”

The meeting will be held at Blackburn Town Hall on Thursday, February 21, from 6.30pm.