Topic: Allotments cost

[Millie1952]

Hi fellow gardeners.
I know this thread has been here before, I've only just read all your comments. My position is that I own a 4 acre field and now have huge costs incurred from buying this land. I make ends meet and am fortunate to own such a beautiful spot. Quiet, not surrounded by buildings and no road noise at all.
I bought it with a view to being able to live here and make up the high mortgage from rental opportunities. Currently I rent out storage space of 20'X8' for £100 a month. There is a horse on 1 acre with water and temporary stabling with fencing for £25 a week.

Contrary to thoughts that I might be sitting on a gold mine, I am not ! This goes towards the bills and we all enjoy the area. The fact is that I took a calculated financial risk in order to live and survive here, other people want to share it for next to nothing. I was recently approached by friends who want an allotment. I thought "why not?".
Sadly it would seem that the value of my land drops when converting to allotment space and yet people would be here much more often and require a lot more by way of facilities than other folk who use my land and are happy to pay for the use of it.
£200 per annum would seem quite reasonable in my view, compared with the costs of buying an acre of land or matching it to our other spending habits, such as spending on alcohol, gym memberships, smoking etc.
I won't be charging my friends much, but am horrified at the high handed attitude of folk who want other people's hard won land for a pittance, because I am not mercenary of gold digging, but nobody else will be offered allotment space unless they want to pay proper land value for the privilege.
Sorry for the rant, but I have learned just how many peole want something for nothing now that I have something other people want. I'm quite a nice person really!!

[tonybloke]

Agricultural grade one land is approx £150 per acre per year, here in norfolk. with  16 x 10 rod plots per acre (14 if you include roadways / paths) that works out at just about £20 per plot. 'simples'  ;)

Oh, and welcome to the forum!! :D

[Fork]

What precisely would I get for my £200 per annum.

Taking into consideration that I pay £20 now and that includes water on tap and liability insurance,membership of NSALG and discounted seeds from Kings!

[cornykev]

You'll get no joy on here demanding £200 fo a lottie, how big will they be and what are you charging your friends.  :-\      ;D ;D ;D

[Millie1952]

You'll get no joy on here demanding £200 for a lottie, how big will they be and what are you charging your friends.  :-\      ;D ;D ;D

Please don't misunderstand me...I applaud the prices you pay for your allotments and all the facilities you have. Anyone wanting to buy my plot of 4 acres would be paying £44,000 which is the price we paid for the field, which is currently termed agricultural land and cannot be built on.
I will stick to storage containers, as they bring in more revenue to go towards the mortgage and take up less space.
My friends and I will manage the plot together, share the produce, lots of sunny evenings and bottles of wine with barbecues...a nominal charge will be agreed, but sadly I can't afford to allow anyone else to come along...I would be soon defaulting on my payments without the rental incomes.

[70fingers]

Maybe you could set up a community garden? I know of a few that have received funding with a little help! ;)

With times like these I understand the need for generating income - some creative thinking maybe of order :)

[Millie1952]

Maybe you could set up a community garden? I know of a few that have received funding with a little help! ;)

With times like these I understand the need for generating income - some creative thinking maybe of order :)

I'm all for creative thinking...thanks for that...I'll investigate...

[kt.]

What precisely would I get for my £200 per annum.

Taking into consideration that I pay £20 now and that includes water on tap and liability insurance,membership of NSALG and discounted seeds from Kings!

We get the same, plus 4 skips for allotment rubbish per year.  The rent is £22 pa but due to increase to a whopping £23 in October.  8) 8).    We also have a site shop and nursery  run by volunteer plot holders as a non profit organisation.  Cheap as chips. ;)

[Digeroo]

I am not clear if you are asking £200 for an allotment or for an acre.  

I am on a private site owned by a farmer we pay more than average but not an unreasonable amount. Assuming 12 lotties to the acre since our paths are quite wide, I calculate that the farmer is getting about £750 an acre.  For that we get water, free manure and use of a shed, paths are mowed and hedging done.   Or paybe we are providing a manure disposal service?  We also had to pay a returnable deposit which presumeably went towards the shed.

£200 per allotment - sorry this is unreasonable.  Unless perhaps they are super allotments at only four to the acre.  I just do not think you will find many takers at this price.  

[Millie1952]

I am not clear if you are asking £200 for an allotment or for an acre.  

I am on a private site owned by a farmer we pay more than average but not an unreasonable amount. Assuming 12 lotties to the acre since our paths are quite wide, I calculate that the farmer is getting about £750 an acre.  For that we get water, free manure and use of a shed, paths are mowed and hedging done.   Or paybe we are providing a manure disposal service?  We also had to pay a returnable deposit which presumeably went towards the shed.

£200 per allotment - sorry this is unreasonable.  Unless perhaps they are super allotments at only four to the acre.  I just do not think you will find many takers at this price.  

I'm not actually looking to rent out for allotments, I was searching through here for an idea of a charge for my friends and came across a thread where someone else is charging £200 a year. My response was to all your comments.
I'll carry on with my storage containers.

[SMP1704]

Hi Millie

I agree with you.  There are historical reasons for allotments being so cheap - poor labouring classes etc.  I pay £55 pa which I think is ridiculously cheap, in no way does that cover costs for water, mowing, skips, allotment officers salary and that's way we get such a poor service.  Something more realistic like £200 would work wonders in discouraging the dibblers, time wasters and general shoulder slopers and we might even have a better relationship with the council!

No doubt I shall be excommunicated now.

[Millie1952]

Hi Millie

I agree with you.  There are historical reasons for allotments being so cheap - poor labouring classes etc.  I pay £55 pa which I think is ridiculously cheap, in no way does that cover costs for water, mowing, skips, allotment officers salary and that's way we get such a poor service.  Something more realistic like £200 would work wonders in discouraging the dibblers, time wasters and general shoulder slopers and we might even have a better relationship with the council!

No doubt I shall be excommunicated now.

Gosh....I hope not.... :) Probably if I didn't have a garden big enough for an allotment, I would also be pleased to have a plot of land at a reasonable rate myself...chin up

[halfofmanic]

Hi Millie

I agree with you.  There are historical reasons for allotments being so cheap - poor labouring classes etc.  I pay £55 pa which I think is ridiculously cheap, in no way does that cover costs for water, mowing, skips, allotment officers salary and that's way we get such a poor service.  Something more realistic like £200 would work wonders in discouraging the dibblers, time wasters and general shoulder slopers and we might even have a better relationship with the council!

No doubt I shall be excommunicated now.

Gosh....I hope not.... :) Probably if I didn't have a garden big enough for an allotment, I would also be pleased to have a plot of land at a reasonable rate myself...chin up

while i can see your point       a lot of people may not be able to afford £200 a year

maybe it would make it a little elitist to have a plot