Topic: Norwich plots threatened by water pipe

[Columbus]

Hi all,

I learnt today that plots on our site will have a two foot diameter water pipe
put though them as its cheaper than digging up the ring road that is on the
perimeter of the site.

We are between new house building and a pumping station / treatment works.
Access will be needed for machinery and trucks so plots will be trashed to allow
for that and of course mature plants will be crushed and the soil compacted.
After the plumbing is in the whole site will be prime housing land with established road access and river frontage.

The worst of this is that it is the surveyors that have let the cat out of the bag
and no plot holder has been officially told. When asked the temporary allotment officer  said I`m only here for three weeks I don`t care. Work begins in september as far as we know, and there will be some kind of compensation. Plot holder are already moving chickens etc off the site.

Any thoughts anybody? please? Its about to get messy. Right under my trees.

Col

[OllieC]

The first thing I'd do would be to write to my local councillor asking them to investigate whether or not it's true, and also why there has been no communication & finally, what arrangements are in place to minimise the impact on allotments.

I get really wound up when allotments are treated as less important than other places, just because we're financially less significant.

[cambourne7]

be very careful what you do, this looks like they are testing the ground to swallow up the site for houses.

You need to get all the alltoment holders kicking up a fuss and lots of media.

You could try guilt them into compensaton and something free for the site in general?

But the noise you generate will make them think twice about trying to get the land for houses.

[Tin Shed]

Is it a statutary site? If so, change of use takes a very long time. And get loads of publicity.

[Marymary]

Malcome, that's terrible news.  The city council is just cr*p.  You must get together & make a BIG fuss & fight it.  Good advice to contact your local councillor & then get the Evening News involved [they are always happy to take on the city council].  Anything I can do let me know. 

[Robert_Brenchley]

Getting the local press might be the best thing to do, but do things in order. You've already tried the Allotments Officer; go to your local Councillors with their reply, and get them to look at it. Then, if you get no satisfactory response, go to the press. If it's a statutory site you'll be in a much better position.

[Columbus]

Thanks for the support everybody  :)

I`ve emailed anglia water, green spaces (counil dept responsible for allotments), my local councillor and taken pictures of similar pipe laying work taking place nearby.

A check of our tenancy agreement shows that they need to give three months
notice before work begins.

Someone has seen the plans and was told they need a twelve metre strip
either side of the pipe which places them right down the centre of our site.

Col

[norfolklass]

>:( grr, that's dreadful. let me know if there's anything I can do to help, too.

given that most allotment sites in Norwich have a waiting list, and that if more than 6 people want a plot the council have a duty to investigate land provision, surely they can't just turn your site over to housing???

are the plans on display in the town hall? might pop in and ask if I can see them if they are, as a concerned plot holder. whereabouts in Norwich is your site?

and definitely get the local press involved I'm sure they'd be interested, especially now that allotmenting and growing your own veg has become so popular recently.

apparently there's a similar pipe laid under our site (under my plot, apparently) but it was laid a few years ago. not sure how it was done but can ask around for you if you'd like?

When asked the temporary allotment officer  said I`m only here for three weeks I don`t care.

and that's DISGUSTING >:( >:( >:( and, if printed, really wouldn't reflect very well at all on the council.

[Columbus]

Hi Norfolk lass, Hi all,  :)

At the moment we are
just trying to get accurate information.
A polite letter would have been nice or use of the new
notice board the council put in last sumer.

I`m told that Anglia water have drawings and are forthcoming
about them so I`m trying to get copies that I can reproduce for
all plot holders. The council are less interested.

Do you have manhole covers on your site? These are what the new
pipe will be linking into.

Col

[Tin Shed]

Don't rely on the council. Our site was earmarked for extra playing fields in a school merger proposal - the details were hidden at the end of a report about the schools. It was only an eagle eyed plot holder who noticed it - the council didn't have the decency to let our site commitee know about the proposals. Any way they had a bit of a fright when we all responded!!

[arphamoe]

Contact the National Association at Corby - they are magic at getting the key to  most doors on this sort of problem. If you are statutory plots, there is a huge amount of paperwork to go through.
Good luck.

[Columbus]

Hi all.

I got a reply from Anglia Water complete with initial plans. They plan to work a 12 metre strip right through my roses, fruit trees, and my large earth bank when I grow gourds to make instruments with the kids, which is also planted with wild flower seeds.

Also they inform
me they plan to start trial trenches starting June 4th. I`ve emailed back to
inform them that if they start this work as Norwich City Councils agents without giving the required three months written notice I would regard it as trespass and would be taking legal advice regarding this.

I also gave them lots of ideas for sucking up to plot holders whilst getting good publicity, (free water havesting, barrels etc, leaf mould after the work is done from the water works site, free pipe offcuts for growing spuds in)

I`m open to bribery and know nothing about taking out an injunction.
(pointers anyone?)

We had a site visit from my city councillor (green party) but nothing from the
council yet.

Col