Court lane Allotments

[shirlton]

There are plans to build 130 houses on what was the other half of our allotment site. They reduced the ground that was being used for allotments in several stages until the site we have now is all that remains. As you all know the demand for allotments all over the country has increased. Four years ago when we got our plot there were around 10 plots being used. There are now approx 80.We have several people who can only have a half plot due to demand and over 20 on the waiting list.The list would be longer than that but when they know they are going to be number 22 or more on the list they don't bother putting there name down.Overlooking our site are five high rise flats with families in and all they will have to look at is other folks rooves. The conservative coucillors have been fighting against the plans and it has got to the state now where all the households in the area have been sent a letter from them asking for their support. Tony and I have written the councillors and suggested that they give a part of the land back to the allotments and the rest back to the people for a leisure garden. Even if they dont want to go out into it at least they have something nice to look out on. The councillors have been very supportive of our allotment site during the last few years so lets hope that they can swing this in our favour.Will let you now how things progress

[shirlton]

[1066]

Wishing you and your fellow Allotmenteers the best of luck Shirl, and please do let us know how you get on  :)

1066  :)

[Squash64]

Good luck Shirl - it isn't going to be easy, but it can be done. 

Did you see the posts about the new allotment site opening in Handsworth a couple of weeks ago?  http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,60804.msg623894.html#new

Simon (Sibadd)  was involved in that campaign for years and it was successful in the end.  Hopefully he will see this thread and offer advice.

[sibadd]

If I can offer any advice about objecting to a planning application to build on allotments I will. At the Victoria Jubilee site (finally opened on 21 June 10) we 'lost' to the developer but we did ensure that instead of building on the whole VJA site as originally proposed the developer built rather attractive houses on one third of it and reluctantly and after long long delays made over the remaining land for allotments and playing fields - the latter still not ready though. The key thing is to ensure people know you have a robust local demand for plots on the site - ideally more than the number of plots available. This may mean some leg work.
The thing today is that the government is sending out strong messages to local planning authorities about encouraging urban food growing. Allotments compared to how they were even a decade ago are popular with government. There are few council's, certainly not Birmingham, unaware of the growing waiting lists for them. That said there's also great pressure to build more homes so it's vital that you prove there's a demand for all the plots on this site. If the site is less than perfect - as happens with neglect (and developers rely on this, to claim there;'s no demand) - demand will be lower, so in measuring demand make sure you ask people "would you like a plot on this site if...and then mention things like loos and kitchen in a communal shed, shared composting, parking space, security of the site and secure tool storage, water supply, and a good committee...
In this situation of being caught between a rock and a hard place the developer must be pressed to look for a brownfield site - and not build on allotments for which there is a waiting list. Contact me if you'd like: 0121 554 9794 and s.j.baddeley@bham.ac.uk.

[shirlton]

Thankyou Sibadd. I have printed out your reply to my post and I will show it to our Allotment sec.

[:(]

Contact the NSALG, even if youre not members they will help. Is your site a statutory allotment?

[tonybloke]

Contact the NSALG, even if youre not members they will help. Is your site a statutory allotment?

I Agree with the previous post!!

[shirlton]

Thanks will do

[pigeonseed]

Good luck Shirlton!