Polish allotment gardeners face rising land use fees

Allotment gardeners (ROD) in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region of Poland face significant cost increases due to new perpetual usufruct fees on land owned by the State Treasury. Some local governments intend to charge a fee amounting to 3 percent of the land value, which is then divided among the individual users of the garden plots.

In areas such as Włocławek, Toruń, and Chełmża, which affect approximately 400 plots, annual costs for a single user could rise by as much as 1,200 PLN, though preliminary estimates from the Toruń District Starosty suggest an average increase of around 200 PLN per person.

The Polish Allotment Garden Association (PZD) has stated they do not oppose the obligation to pay fees but argue that the 3 percent rate is excessive. The PZD has proposed reducing the rate to 0.1 percent. Gardeners have expressed concern that these high costs will disproportionately affect retirees and pensioners, potentially forcing them to abandon their plots.