Topic: Big problem with sheds on the Allotment

[betula]

Had a phone call yesterday morning,it was the farmer who owns the land asking for us to attend the parish council meeting last night as the issue of the sheds was on the agenda.

About 70 plot holders arrived.I have never known a chairman so negative.......problem is a plot holder was told by some poor bloke in planning that sheds could be erected.............so the majority put them up.Then the woman in a big house next door complained because her planning application for a stable was turned down.

Chairman was most upset and accused us of hijacking the meeting............he said he thought the farmer was creating some sort of development?

Anyway he said we should have let them know we were coming .They will arrange a meeting in the village hall so we could all sit down  ::)

Many people stood up and supported the Allotment and what a great difference it has made to their lives and how sheds were needed.

[betula]

Had to carry on here as it would not let me write anymore.

Luckily we have a solicitor who is a plot holder who come with his little daughter
and she loves it all so much he is determined to see us through this legally.

Not got a shed up myself as when first news of this arrived I had a feeling trouble was coming.....but I want one so determined to support the cause.

I really dislike parish councils,I had a problem on my last Allotment when they said I could not keep a few chickens.I am proud to say I fought them and with help from members on here people on my old Allotment can now keep them as they are legally allowed to do so.

This  is going to be a far harder thing to sort out. :(

[pansy potter]

Sorry to hear that you are having problems at your allotment site. Such a shame when things go wrong.
Hope it gets sorted soon so that you can get on with a bit of trouble free gardening

[pumkinlover]

All the best Betula, I cannot imagine not having a shed.
In the Peak National park (not that I live in it) they are not allowed sheds on allotments, we visited an open day at one site in the Peak and they have a Communal shed, with a seperate areas for each person to store tools. So that is a sort of half-way house.
However for the peoplle who already have put one up in good faith it is not a lot of use.
Hope they see sense :)

[Unwashed]

I really dislike parish councils

Amen to that sister!  Fortunately is has nothing to do with the parish council as planning is a function of the borough council.  Down-side is that sheds on allotments does seem to be a grey area and if the planning department say planning permission is required it's difficult to challenge and the farmer is unlikely to want the hassle.

[betula]

It has been intimated that communal storage would not be a problem.Problem is some people would lose their Allotment as we have no space.Also we would have to do a huge fund raiser as these sheds do not come cheap.

Fact is we all love our sheds don't we?Not so much storage more a way of life ;D

Until that meeting last night I may have settled for storage sheds if a solution could be found that way......we have a few neglected allotment spaces that in the future may be an answer to space.However that chairman was so unpleasant and unhelpful and very rude to our farmer that I feel didinclined to listen to his views.

Farmer made me laugh when he said he could put 300 pig thingies on the land and there was not a thing they could do about it.Let us hope he never has to do that.

[betula]

Simon I understand that but the trouble started with this parish council and their support could only be a good thing.

[Unwashed]

I feel for you Betula.  You're absolutely right of course, a shed on your allotment is just so much more than a place to put your fork, it's the heart and soul of an allotment and the variety of sheds and the enginuity and resourcefulness of their construction is a wonder and delight.  And I know how exasperating pompous petti-minded officialdom can be.  Your farmer has done a great thing creating that site, I so wish him well.

In terms of the planning he may well have a point about the pig arks, and as planning doesn't recognise allotments as development he might well have permitted development rights to allow allotment sheds too.  I hope your solicitor tenant can dig something out to back him up.

[betula]

We are a tidy looking Allotment as the local shed dealer supplies small sheds and erection included for £149.Most people have these sheds so the look is very uniform and tidy.Only one tatty one as far as I can see  :)

As I have got wet a few times I was wondering if they could complain about those plastic walk in Greenhouses  that you can buy from wilko?

Could use it for shelter and making a brew next season.

[Digeroo]

Are sheds really necessary?  We are not allowed them so manage without.   We have a communal shed but things do disappear.  Many people have locked boxes I like the ones that double up as seats.   I suppose technically we would be allowed pig arcs as well. 

I am not sure how you could hijack a meeting about sheds if it was already on the agenda. 

I will view the progress of this thread with interest.

[grawrc]

Good luck with that, Den!!

We were talking about sheds at my plot yesterday and we were all in agreement that it has greater significance for most of us than just a storage place. Mind you, it seems like Edinburgh is going down that route with new sites - no sheds on plots and a huge metal communal metal container for tools.

I don't suppose I'd miss the shed If I'd never had it though.

[Aden Roller]

Our site has gone from very strict control on shed sizes and numbers to what looks almost like a refugee city. There would be uproar if anyone was asked to take their shed down.

I feel for your plotters Betula - keep going.

Communal sheds are not the best solution once you've had the luxury of your own.

[elvis2003]

good luck with this betula,hope common sense prevails!
i couldnt do without our sheds...although i spose if we werent allowed them from the offset i expect we would cope without,its a matter of what you are used to innit

[pumkinlover]

No shed -no mashing. >:(
No shed  -no household liquid fertilizer >:( >:( >:(

[betula]

Re the highjack comment.everybody had been very polite till that point.The Chaiman was out of order saying that and he was booed and deserved it.

I miss having a shed as it stores all my lovely bits,cram in for a cuppa when it rains and the handy bucket when things get desperate  :)

Allotments are communal and it is nice to have that tiny private space

[Deb P]

I love my shed! Could not imagine my plot without it..........

[pumkinlover]

Sorry- bit off thread but are they Wooden (chestnut ) roof tiles Deb?

[Aden Roller]

That's not a shed Deb..that's a holiday home.  ;)

Can we be very nosey and have an inside picture too?  ;)

(New thread needed in The Shed......"All about sheds")

Sorrieeeeeee  ;)

[manicscousers]

She's got a full sized sofa in there, Aden  ;D

[Aden Roller]

She's got a full sized sofa in there, Aden  ;D

Hansel and Gretel should be peering out of the window.  ;)

It looks lovely.