Topic: Setting private allotments - advice from similar organisations sought

[HAA]

Hi,

I'm chairman of a newly formed allotment association in Hook Hampshire. Our local council (Hart District) has no allotments and no signs of creating them either. We have therefore decided to rent a field direct off a farmer and divide up into allotments. We are considering being completely autonomous from the local council.
Has anyone else done this? If so, can you give me some advice and ideally contact me, so we can speak on the phone?

Much appreciated.

Pete

[ceres]

Welcome to A4A!

Have you tried contacting the NSALG?  They help people set up and run allotments and have probably tackled just about any problem you are likely to encounter.

www.nsalg.org.uk

Good to see a group of people taking matters into their own hands - good luck!

[HAA]

Yes - thanks - have been speaking to NSALG. I have also found about about Narpeth by Googling, but there does not seem many allotment groups who are fully autonomous and wanted to know the pitfalls!

Pete

 

Welcome to A4A!

Have you tried contacting the NSALG?  They help people set up and run allotments and have probably tackled just about any problem you are likely to encounter.

www.nsalg.org.uk

Good to see a group of people taking matters into their own hands - good luck!

[saddad]

Welcome to A4A Pete...  :)

[BarriedaleNick]

Hi Pete,

we rent our land from Thames water and I am on the committee.  If I can be of any help just PM me or reply.  I am not overly knowledgable but Im sure my fellow committee members will have the answers...

[Trevor_D]

We are a non-Council site, with land rented from the local Church Charity.

Main advice: get a good agreement - in writing & using a lawyer - with your landlord; get a good constitution for the members. And get a good body of people around you to run it. And join NASLG!

It's hard work, because you have to do the lot from letting plots, fixing the plumbing & mending fences, to dealing with neighbours & local community groups and applying for grants, but worth it. Good luck.

PM me if you want any detail.

[HAA]

Thanks for offers of help. I'll try and contact you guys.

Pete

[tonybloke]

our allotment association own all of our own land (62.5 acres)
I'm the general secretary
pm me if you want my 'phone No for a chat.
rgds, tony ;)

[BrianK]

Hi,

Our local council (Hart District) has no allotments and no signs of creating them either.

They have to by law if enough of the parish apply. Check with the NSALG and then demand action at a council meeting. If they don't you can use a court case to get them to make some.  They will have to pay the fees as well.

[ceres]

They have to by law if enough of the parish apply. Check with the NSALG and then demand action at a council meeting. If they don't you can use a court case to get them to make some.  They will have to pay the fees as well.

It's not that easy.  The law requires that a council considers a request from 6 residents.  It doesn't require it to act on the request and it doesn't place a time limit on how long they can take to consider it, which is why you don't hear about successful court cases (if indeed there have been any court cases at all). 

[Digeroo]

Our locality has been looking for a suitable site for about 30 years.  Don't seem to have found one yet. ::) ::)

A local farmer decided to be very community minded and let out part of a field for allotments.  We have only been at it about four months.   They are certainly not going to make much profit from the arrangement.  We do use up their manure, and feed their pigs with weeds etc.  There is a marvellous community spirit.

Water seems to be a major issue.  Ours comes from a well, but we are not sure whether it will run dry.

The previous allotments here had a public footpath through the middle and that had problems of vandalism.  We are now down a private drive and so far have not had problems.  There is also parking.  Dogs are also an issue, they do tend to wander.

We are on a designated route of a byepass so we know that this might cause us problems in the future.  The idea is that land is sold off for housing and that will fund each stretch of the bypass.  But the last site has caused huge problems of flooding downstream. 

Everyone is so pleased to have a allotment they are keen not to cause any problems.

We are not allowed sheds or anything tall except bean canes on the allotments.  So they actually look quite tidy.

I hope  you are successful.