We received a letter yesterday (Yes Yesterday - a Sunday) it was from our City Council.
It was saying they were going to make some new rules n regs, oh dear I thought! Basically its saying they are going to measure all allotments and may make changes to the borders and prices may change. My allotments are at the back of my garden and behind next doors garden but doesn't have a fence along the border of my garden and it didn't have when I moved in and took over the allotment, so I'm hoping they don't move the boundaries as this is going to cost me a lot of pennies on new fencing along the side and they may even want me to put one at the end of my garden to devide the garden and the plot?. Its saying fences will only be allowed to be 1.5m high or less, our side fences are 1.5m but have chicken wire on top but the back fence is 6' which is needed to stop the scallywags coming over and breaking into my shed and my house!! and stop my Boxer dogs going over after the foxes!!
Any sheds on there must have written permission to be allowed, we haven't asked for permission to have a shed on there since we've been here but there was a shed on there when we took it over that was broken so we had a new large shed last March but was erected on the same footings as the old one but I'm sure they'll say its too big, and they say chickens, rabbits and bees are allowed but have to have written permission too, oh - I havent asked them and I have some housed on the allotment but most of them are on my back garden, now I'm wondering if they are going to be funny with me, I might just get my hubby to move them off (which will be a big job as there is a run attatched to the shed)
One allotment has the hens and some fruit trees and the other one has part of the chicken run and a trampoline, the council also say it has to be at least 50% planted with fruit or veg so I am going to be busy soon, I'm going to plant more fruit trees and some berry bushes and probably some runner beans. I also have an allotment about 10 plots down which used to be my twin brothers and I took over which is the one I plant on so I'm now thinking maybe give that one up and concentrate on these two? Oh I don't know, I can't cultivate three, I haven't the time to do that many!!
This is my 8 year old daughter Abbie on the allotment we took over from my brother:
This is the row of sheds for my chickens including the top one which is on my allotment:
Sorry guys, I'm just worried the council are going to clamp down on their new rules or whether they'll be flexible?
It could be they're 'sorting the men out from the boys'.
In that I mean there is such a long waiting list and when you walk around Allotments, you often see plots only half used, overgrown or simply in a bit of a mess, including any infrastructure. Maybe they're doing it for that reason.
To be fair, some plots are very big. I think that comes from....someone applies for one, waits the alloted time, then gets one about four times the size they really need.
I'd have thought that if yours is well kept, tidy and full, they wouldn't have a problem.
I'm absolutely not being 'pro-Council', just seeing it from where they may or may not be coming from. Certainly the whole Allotment thing needs to be looked at because it's so popular now and many are going without.
I'd like to think and hope there's a positive in there somewhere.
Richard
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I read somewhere recently about some councils changing the rules to ensure that the plots are fallow over winter; all nice and tidy! Basicly, no fruit, asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, garlic, onions etc! Our plots have a private landowner and is run by a friendly committee, even so we have a few who need to be jollied along a bit! The land must be worth millions as a riverside development!
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. - Pablo Picasso
Would you say there are plots on your allotments which aren't used to the full, just going to waste and with a bit of 'management' could be say divided into two plots.
I guess I'm saying that often if there are say the two of you in a household, do some people need the size allotment they have.
I'm absolutely for Allotments, part of our great British heritage and would fight for them, but I can also see how hard it is to get one, or the length of the waiting list. Often it's simply waiting for a person to pass on.
I'd be very interested to hear peoples views - without going too off topic, but I think this may relate to the original post.
Richard
BTW - Love the photo's !
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We have about a years waiting list and a small hardcore of people who have too much, or underuse their plots. Most have had letters, and a bit more pressure will have to be brought to bear. As you say Richard, it's usually dead men's boots, or as often as not evictions; that's when the next tenant gets a two foot high plot of weeds, as I did!
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. - Pablo Picasso
If I could be nosey again please, because you said yours is privately owned - who sends the letters, is it the Allotment Committee made up of Plot Holders or the Landlord who comes to inspect?
Does this happen on a Council owned Allotment. Is it there's an Allotment Club or Committiee and they report to the Council, does someone 'grass' if you like or does a Shirt and Tie Clipboard come round.
I do see this as relevant to the first post though as maybe one of the above has happened.
Richard
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Our committee, made up of allotment holders, myself included, send out letters as is deemed necessary. We bend over backwards to help people, but some just won't listen! We get a very rare visit by the landowners agent, the same landowner has evicted all the tenants from another site in town for development, it took years and made the national press, at least they were eventually found alternatives. They didn't have an effective committee or NSALG membership, essential nowadays! I have taken some photos of untidy and uncultivated plots just to show the next committee meeting how the agents could present the plots to their masters! Generally our plots are well maintained and cultivated. Our local council no longer own any allotments, just as well knowing them! http://www.nsalg.org.uk/
I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. - Pablo Picasso
On our site many large plots have been turned into two half plots to allow more people to enjoy allotmenteering (is that a word?) we have quite a few plots that are not used to full potential and some that just go to rack and ruin. The current tenants are encouraged to keep on top of things and in extreme cases notice is served and tenants are booted off.
I think half plots are a good idea, it gives newbies a chance to try things out before going on to a full size plot.
RubyMurray, having three plots is OK if you use them all, perhaps as already mentioned the powers that be are trying to make sure all plots are enjoyed and used fully.
Very frustrating for peeps on a waiting list to see plots un-tended.
Our site is council owned and we have a site rep and a deputy, they get voted in by us plot holders. All site reps report to a central council body who inspect sites twice a year.
[center]Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit[/center]
Thank you Mallard and Foggy, gives me a new insight to how things work.
What I love about it is that it's about 'community', 'collective' etc.
I did read somewhere the law states Councils are not allowed to build on an Allotment unless they are replaced. That's OK, but when you've tended the soil for such a time, it's a nuisance having to start from scratch again.
I wish I could turn back time sometimes, I'd have loved one. There was a huge one behind my Grandparents House and a couple of Great Uncles had a Plot. I'd go running up, weaving between the path's and find them, shirt and tie, jacket, real Percy Throwers, loved it all. They usually had a bottle of Ginger Beer to hand as well!
Richard
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Our plots are TINY and without water, we pay £7.88 per year for one and £8.77 a year for the other and my brothers old one is £6 and a bit!!
I would say theres about 1/4 allotments unused, the council every other year spray and kill all the wild blackberry bushes on them but thats all so they are constantly overgrown. Most people just have them as an extension to their garden and to be honest mine is mainly used by my children, dogs and chickens as I've always helped my twin brother with his and then we took over his and kept ours as space for the children (as long as they are careful with my fruit trees - my mum died two years ago and she'd given me some money for my birthday and wanted to buy something to remind me of her so I planted some trees to make my own 'Nana's Orchard' my mums maiden name was Greenacre) so this year I'm going to add to that.
I hope it all pans out for you OK. I still suspect that maybe they're just managing the situation of plots needed against plots unused - let's hope. If that's so, yours sounds pretty safe.
Apologies if I took it a bit off topic, just trying to understand a bit more about the workings etc.
Have to say, what you pay.........bargain !!
Richard
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No problem Richard and yes it is VERY cheap to have the extra land.
My friends hubby has an allotment about a 5 minute walk away from mine and its BIG, he has water on his and pays £35 per year for that, he's had the same letter as me too.
dont say tht too often / too loud.they might hear you and sell up..you´d end up allotment-less
and yes it is VERY cheap to have the extra land.
