A FOOD growing project is set to be launched in Johnstone as part of plans to tackle climate change and deprivation.

Renfrewshire Council has revealed it is looking to pump an initial £50,000 from its £1million Climate Change Action Fund into the pilot scheme.

The initiative would aim to maximise the availability of fresh local food to residents with financial or health issues.

As part of this, links would be established to community justice services and local school and care services.

Councillor Andy Steel, who represents Johnstone South and Elderslie, has welcomed the plan, which he thinks will hugely reduce poverty and food miles – the distance food travels from creation to being eaten.

“I approached Iain Nicolson, the leader of the council, with an idea to tackle both food miles and food poverty and I’m grateful to him and officers that they’ve pulled together this response so quickly,” he said.

“If approved, this would be a real step forward on many fronts. Growing and distributing fresh food, with a small environmental impact, can only be a positive.

“Food miles contribute enormously to the overall carbon footprint and, if councils can produce their own food and distribute it via their fleet of electric vehicles, it could make a real difference.

“The pandemic has made this kind of project even more urgent too, as the food grown on a site like this could be used to tackle the looming crisis in food poverty.”

Council chiefs have said the £50,000 would support the initial project costs, with a view to these unlocking external funding opportunities to support its future development.

If the pilot in Johnstone proves successful, the scheme could be expanded to other communities.

An exact spot for the allotments has not yet been chosen but Councillor Steel said vacant land which used to house St Cuthbert’s High’s playing fields, off Beith Road, could be a perfect location.

The school closed in 2006 when it was amalgamated with St Brendan’s High, in Linwood, to form what is now St Benedict’s High, also in Linwood.

“This land is sitting doing nothing,” added Councillor Steel. “There’s lots of room for continued public access for other things and the road links are perfect.”

The plan is expected to be presented to the council’s leadership board for approval later this month.

Other funding proposals include injecting £258,000 into expanding the council’s fleet of electric vehicles and £125,000 for recruiting a climate change lead officer on a two-year contract.