Topic: New allotment site opening in Birmingham tomorrow

[Squash64]

http://birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=10918

[grannyjanny]

WOW :)

[Trevor_D]

I do wish it well, but somehow the alarm bells are ringing:

"The new site is located immediately to the south of Handsworth Park in the north-west corner of the new Parklands development and covers what remains of the original privately owned Victoria Jubilee Allotments. Part of an original hedgerow has been retained as a central feature."

Does that mean the "new" site covers just a fraction of the original, which has been "developed"?

"Developer Persimmon"

So has the Council sold off the land?

80 small plots - OK, that's what we're all doing, because newcomers can't always cope with a full-size plot; one standpipe - retrograde step - per 8 plots.

Please tell me my nasty suspicious mind is wrong, and this really is the success story the press release claims it is....

[betula]

Think we would have heard if anything had gone on there.

[:(]

Think we would have heard if anything had gone on there.

Really? TrevorDs right. Read these for history.

http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/newslet/news0803/STORY_15.HTM
http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6135

[pigeonseed]

Some photos of the old sheds and plots here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNbScckgdLU&feature=related
I lived near there and I had no idea it existed!

It does sound like it was 4 years before the developers came up with the allotments, which was the deal when they got permission. So although it's smaller than the original old allotment site, I can see why people would still feel pleased to finally get them. So I'm a little sad too, but don't want to rain on their parade   :)

[betula]

Thought I would have heard that on the grapevine.Quite shocking.

Brum has always been proud of it's huge provision of allotments and I am sad to see them going down this road.

[betula]

Oh Lord those pics were so sad.

Let us hope the new community build up a fabulous site and more happy memories made.

[sibadd]

I've got a plot along with neighbouring friends on the new Victoria Jubilee Allotments. There is quite a back story which I've referenced on my blog that might be of interest.

http://democracystreet.blogspot.com/2010/05/victoria-jubilee-allotments.html

http://democracystreet.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post.html

http://democracystreet.blogspot.com/2010/06/got-plot.html

The long and the short of it is that 17 hectares of private allotments were sold to a developer in the early 90s by ageing plotholders tempted by the money offered. A long campaign - local and city wide - stopped the whole area being built on as originally proposed, confining the building of new homes to a third of the site and under a S106 Agreement, devoting the remaining green space (application approved in April 2004) to playing fields (not yet ready) and 79 allotments of approx 200 square yards each nearly all of which were signed up for within hours of the opening on 12 June 2010 and the rest ion the last three days. Topsoil leaves something to be desired on some plots, not for its quality, but because it's mingled with debris from the collapsed or bull-dozed structures of the originally surrendered private allotments.

[Squash64]

Simon, it's good to read that all the plots are now taken - all your hard work with the campaign has certainly paid off!

[shirlton]

Glad to hear of your success ;D