Comments on: Commons Debate on Allotment Provision

By: Togalosh

Togalosh — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:33:08 +0000

Around Xmas(2008) a mate of mine in Manchester (I’m in Brum)said that she’d just got herslf a plot(without waiting long for it). From the pic she sent me it was a mass of green, thorny tough stuff and nothing else!!..and what is above is matched by what’s below the soil.

I’d heard of the ridiculously long waiting lists to get an allotment and with an old incling to grow my own now revived I decided to “get in early”. I’d still got loads of DIY to complete and so didn’t want a plot for ages.

I’m now 3 months in and loving it (without having deafed out the DIY either!). The reason why I think we both got to top of the waiting list is that we both said we’d take anything that was offered. My plot was in such a state the council wanted to get a clearance team in before they’d let me on but because I’ve no patience & the fact that spring had sprung I said I’d do it & so got in even quicker.

There are many people that have already waited years for a plot on our patch but only because they want something without weeds..ready to plant(or something similar). If they could be more willing to take on a challenge then they’d have at least the choice of 3 full sized plots to choose from. I realise that some folk simply cannot do the really heavy digging but there is more than one way to skin a cat – one plot nearby has a communal sharing of the work (& harvest I assume)..ok it’s not everyone’s thing (or mine) but it works for them.

Saying that, they could do with speeding up the process of kicking people off who are not pulling their weight.

Good luck.

By: Amz

Amz — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:25:41 +0000

Hi Ron

my boyfriend and i are condsidering letting our garden to use as an allotment – email me at amyweasel@hotmail.com if you would like to have a chat about it.

thanks

amy

By: Ron Sutton

Ron Sutton — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:29:26 +0000

Having spoken to my local copuncil, there is a 2 year waiting list. It seems that they only time the plots are reviewed is annually just before rent time. when Plots have not been culitvated, the tennnant is contacted. If no longer requiring the plot it is offered elsewhere. In other words the only chance of being offered a plot is at the time of the annual review. After allocations this year, I moved up 4 places on the list. By the way I am a resident of Widnes, controlled by Halton Council.

By: Miss S Murray

Miss S Murray — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 09:24:20 +0000

I have recently taken on an allotment in Carterton Oxfordshire and worked tirelessly to get it organised for this coming season. I am very concerned that our local town council in Carterton are considering selling off this land in the near future for housing. I have already written to the West Oxfordshire District Council who say they do not intend to sell allotment land that is currently well used, which this site is. However, there seems to be an element at work in this town that is able to by-pass the majority public opinion an “get their own way”. There is talk of moving the allotments to another site at the edge of the town but the ground there is barren and full of slate. This area would take years to clear and provide soil to any vegetable growing quality. Alot of people on the current Carterton site have been gardening here for 30 years. We do not want to move and will continue to fight our cause!

By: Zahid

Zahid — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:22:57 +0000

Our borough in London (RBKC) says there is no provision for any allotments. We have about 5 people interested in renting one if it became available, is it worth pertitioning or are we just wasting our time?

Other allotment lists are closed (often 3-5 year waiting list) in neighbouring boroughs like Fulham & Hammersmith.

Thanks

Zahid & Susan

By: adrian pieroni

adrian pieroni — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:08:49 +0000

as usual, told there are no plots available in warrington area, yet i see on a daily basis many vacant/neglected plots!! what can i do?

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:53:23 +0000

I’ve had a thought – probably been doen before.

Why not 50/60/70 people put in say £2/300 each then purchase enough land to have allotments for them. The £2/300 is then rent for ten years after which, you pay rent of £??? what ever each year. When initial purchasers die, the land passes or is already in ownership of the Association.

This would free up the useless Local Authorities who say they have no money (yet have lost millions they saved with Ice banks etc)

LAs could continue to provide allotments for people who did not want to be in on the scheme.

Thoughts please!

By: Jill Sellner

Jill Sellner — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:42:05 +0000

Does the allotment act in terms of the council’s requirement to provide land not apply in inner London? Sort of ironic. Any recommendations of how to proceed in London?

By: D Carter

D Carter — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:25:40 +0000

After making enquiries to our Parish council, it seems that there are no alotments in our village in West Sussex. Myself and a few interested neighbours have written, after gaining information from this site and quoting the requirement of the Allotment Act, and the Parish Council have replied to say that they are actively looking into the possibility of transferring ownership or leasing land in the area for allotment use. A letter to the locally produced magazine was sent to inform people that had enquired in the past, of the councils responsibilty to provide allotments when there are at least 6 people interested. Generally, people are not aware of this and just accept the answer that there are none available.These people have also now written to the Parish Council to make their request and this has added weight to the issue.
We intend to attend the Council Meeting next week to address them on this matter so will let you know how we get on.

By: Amz

Amz — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:05:48 +0000

A friend mentioned something she heard on the radio about people leasing their gardens for people to us as allotments – does anyone know anything about this? or is it better to keep the allotment spirit by all being on one site?

I have quite a large garden i would be willing for someone to use as an allotment providing they keep it tidy. i live in widnes, cheshire (WA8)

please let me know your thoughts.

thanks!