How do I get an Allotment????

[kiamha]

Hello, Im new to this whole process.  Actually I am attempting to get an allotment.  Can anyone Help me
please?  I have contacted my local council Westminster and they have been of no help. They simply stated that they do not have allotments. 
But where do I go from here?

[kiamha]

[Sparkly]

I would suggest going to a local site and asking one of the plotholders. Some sites are privately run and some may also be parish-owned.

[Trevor_D]

I don't think that Westminster actually has any allotments. You could try looking at the Government's London Allotments website: www.london.gov.uk/allotments

That will give you a list of possibilities, then either phone someone or - as Sparkly suggests - there's nothing like actually going there and nabbing someone. Or a google search can often throw up leads.

[kt.]

Get your name on as many waiting lists for allotments in your area as you can.  Be prepared for a long wait.  Waiting times vary around the country depending on where you live.  Anywhere from 1 year to 10 years,  Some areas apparently have waiting lists of up to 30 years, others have closed their lists because they are so long.  On our site here in Teeside the waiting time for a plot is 4-5 years if you were to put your name on the list today.

This link will answer your question in more detail:
http://www.nsalg.org.uk/page.php?article=463&name=FAQ

[BarriedaleNick]

You can also try landshare http://landshare.channel4.com/

[saddad]

Slowly...  :-X
Welcome to A4A Kiamha

[PurpleHeather]

There is a legal obligation for the council to provide allotments under the smallholdings and allotments act.

However, unless you are prepared to be a political activist and get a few others, equally determined to work with you (and that is the big problem) then you are going to struggle to get your local council to do what they are obliged to do.

I wish you were, we on this site would love to do all we could to support you.

Since you are in Westminster it would be interesting if you wrote to the Prime Minister himself for advice. As I understand it, he is in favour of people having allotments.

[pigeonseed]

welcome Kiamha - have you found if there are any allotments yet?

You could end up travelling to one. I had to do that with my old one, two stops on the train. Bit of a pain, but better than no allotment!

Good luck!!!

[SMP1704]

Apart from a spot of guerilla gardening in one of the many squares in Westminster, I suggest that you resign yourself to travelling to a site in outer london, e.g. Ealing, Hounslow, Enfield, Merton, Haringay etc. but be prepared to join a waiting list.