Planning department

 PCHub Outdoor meeting area`s and planters 

 For over two years, the hub volunteers have been planning the transition from monoculture grass playing fields to a permaculture community garden. We felt that we were making progress with various projects, such as outdoor meeting areas, food-growing sensory walkways, a mini wildlife reserve, and rain gardens. Two years of planning these and other Gardeniser projects have passed! Sometimes, we wonder if our community fully appreciates the amazing potential of the hub's outdoor area. However, we are still navigating a lengthy legislative process to change the land's usage from dedicated open space to include a community garden, orchard, and outdoor meeting areas.

This journey has involved extensive planning, research, numerous application forms, networking, and a significant amount of paperwork. We submitted a complete set of plans to the council's planning department but opposed paying a fee for something that the council's own policy states we should be doing. This issue is ongoing. The community council—a group of local unpaid volunteers, unlike the employed district council or politically elected councillors—offered to pay for the submission of these plans, but we graciously declined their offer. We are prepared to go to court rather than spend hundreds of pounds of our charity's money on something we believe is not worthwhile.

Since we took over on October 1, 2024, we have installed benches, seating, and a couple of small planters! The experience of creating these features for our community has been incredibly fulfilling. There's something special about sitting on a bench we built ourselves, sipping tea, and enjoying the sunny outdoor space at the hub. It's a reminder of how far we've come and how meaningful our other projects are.

The atmosphere at the hub has changed significantly since it was a council-run community centre. We aim for it to be filled with joyful, happy volunteers who are now starting to reap the rewards of their environmentally friendly and ethical work. There is a palpable sense of satisfaction in the air as everyone comes together, knowing that our efforts are making a positive impact on the community and the environment. Each bench and planter we build adds beauty to the space and brings a feeling of accomplishment, community, and purpose. The smiles and laughter shared over cups of tea during breaks are a testament to the joy found in contributing to a sustainable future. It is heartwarming to see everyone so engaged and passionate about our journey toward creating an eco-friendly haven that will benefit generations to come.

Our approach incorporates ethical sustainability at every step. We have used some upcycled wood generously donated by the community while sourcing additional materials from a local timber merchant. Falkirk District Council asked Jewson to supply us with sleepers, which they did. The wood chips for our planters came from a local tree surgeon clearing fallen trees after a recent storm, and we've filled the planters and pots we have with mulch and branches from our own composting efforts, along with bought and donated topsoil along with some rubble!

As part of our commitment to zero waste and promoting biodiversity, we ensured the use of a natural wood preservative (Valhalla Wood Preservatives Limited) sourced from www.thenaturalgardener.co.uk. This decision aligns with our organic and eco-friendly gardening principles. Our goal is to keep our projects free from harmful pesticides, biocides, fungicides, and plastics. We want the food grown here to be organic and wholesome. We also strive to source our materials as locally as possible to support our aims toward a circular economy.

We envision this project as a catalyst for broader ecological awareness and action within Polmont Community Hub. With your help, we can transform this space into a sustainable oasis that will greatly benefit generations to come. Join us in our mission to rejuvenate not only our outdoor areas but also the hub's buildings and infrastructure!