Hello, this is my first post on this Baord and its a sad one!. I went to my lottie at the weekend and found out that my local council want to sell the site for housing. I was directed here as you have some information that may help me and my fellow plot holders to try and fight the curse of the developers!
Can anyone give me an idea where to look?
From what I've seen so far there is lots to look at and even more to learn.
Thanks in anticipation. :D
Hi B Babe. let me the first to say hi and welcome. There are plenty of folks on here who can give you valuable advice about your problem, so I will leave them to come along and help you.
From me just a lootie hug from Hull, stay aoround and make friends, we are a crazy bunch but we always have room for another one.
XX Jeannine
PS you can ask me anything about growing squash !!
Thats good to know - I had a bad year with Squashes last year only managed to get one tiddler but it tasted great!
Hiya, borderbabe,welcome to the site.. don't they drive you mad, councils >:(..if you google N.S.A.L.G they're the national allotment association, they will have some advice for you, if you get a petition up, let us know, we'll all sign it :)
Link to N.S.A.L.G's website...
http://www.nsalg.org.uk/
Hello Border Babe and welcome to the best site for advice you can find. You made a great choice.
Like Manics said, if you get a petition going, I'm sure everyone will sign. :)
Shout, holler and scream would be my advice. Get the local TV and press involved. Come out fighting, pitch forks and spades at the ready.
Keep us informed, please? and GOOOOOOD LUCK.
Lauren
Thanks for your messages and advice - we are getting the local press etc involved. there are only 9 of us on the site and a couple of the chaps have been there over 30 years. I think the council hope we will go away quietly - no chance.
I was going to write to other like mined and well known gardeners e.g. Alan Titchmarsh and even the Prince of Wales! It might help if I can wave letters from them under the Council's nose.
Please as others have said start a government petition then post the fact that it is there, we will all sign online and many others will too, I forget the link to do it but someone will know.
XX Jeannine
Found it. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/new
HI and Welcome.
If there are only 9 of you i guess there are lots of vacant plots (or is it a tiny site).
Perhapse you can try some local advertising about your plight and if the council try to use the excuse that there not popular then i am sure you will get lots of people wanting a plot.
After christmas local media are desperate for non christmas and new year related news.
You can also call a extrodinary general meeting at the local council.
Take confort that your not alone and get the local MPs involved as there is an election comming!"!
http://www.saveouropenspaces.com/news.asp?intent=viewstory&newsid=4982
take not of the comment at the end of the link
Redbridge Council criticised in Parliament over allotment sales
Ilford South MP Mike Gapes tabled the following motion in the House of Commons today:
This House notes that Conservative controlled Redbridge Council has drawn up secret plans to sell off a large number of local land sites, including popular allotments and car parks in a desperate effort to raise up to £150 million; further notes that many of these sites are in Ilford South the most overcrowded and poorest part of the Borough, including allotments in Goodmayes Park extension and Vicarage Lane South; congratulates all those involved in the campaign by local residents again the secret Tory plans and welcomes the letter to the Member for Ilford South on 23rd March 2007 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government, Baroness Andrews, which confirms that “where a statutory allotment is disposed of; the 1908 Allotment Act requires that any proceeds must be used for the purposes of allotments, and only surplus may be used for other purposesâ€; that Planning Policy Guidance 17 “provides protection of urban green spaces†and draws the attention of Redbridge Conservative Councillors to the statement of the Minister that “open spaces which local communities need should not be built onâ€.
Source: Website of Mike Gapes MP Ilford South
Hiya,
Lots of people have given you far better advice than I've got for you, but I just wanted to say you have my support for any online petition you start.
It sounds like you've got a good campaign on the go already and I hope your site doesn't go the same way as that one booted out for the Olympics...
Hi BBabe... welcome to the site and good luck with the struggle, keep us informed and get a petition online...
:)
HI B.Babe... welcome to the site and keep us informed of the struggle...
We are good at signing petitions...
;D
:-[ thought I'd lost that.. sorry to repeat myself!!
Hi B. Babe
I am on a large site - were probably 180 plus plots. We had some of the land sold off for building about 2 years ago. They are just finishing off the homes with people moving in over the last month and over next couple of months.
We tried to oppose this - however only about 30 - 40 odd percent of allotments were taken up. This was what they went on. What is your situation with only 9 plot holders- do you have any vacant plots. The council apparently is obliged to provide allotments if there are a number of people wanting them - however they probably say they will provide them but they will be at another site they own.
Goodluck
A note of caution - the prospect of many councils riding roughshod over allotments is a real danger nationwide! It is vital that everyone with any sort of interest in allotments makes sure that major efforts are made to encourage take-up of vacant plots. Before our Town Council took over control of allotments about 4 years ago, the District Council who, at the time had responsibility, were operating a deliberate but concealed policy of discouraging take-up because they wanted to build on some of the sites.
The Town Council have built up full occupancy by advertising and using parts of the local tax precept to improve conditions to the extent there is now a waiting list - and we are in the Midlands where we are expecting a doubling of the size of housing in the next 10 years thanks to Govt policy so land is at a priority.
Its a long-term business but it needs commitment and enthusiasm otherwise the problems highlighted above in various contributions will befall many other sites.
We are still fighting over one site and the fight is going to arbitration to decide but without the enthusiasm of Town Councillors and an active Allotment Association, we could easily be going down the same road.
Keep up the pressure, use the local Press and MP's (they must be useful for some things, especially when elections are in the offing!) and don't let plots be lost by stealth.
There's a site in Birmingham that was down to a few plotholders; two of them went round the neighbourhood canvassing, and it's now out of the woods. Get to work and I bet you'll find people for the empty plots.
thanks again for the support. The site is tiny - only 9 plots, fully let and all the plots kept well cultivated. Our main problem being that its never been formally adopted as a statutory site and kept as a temporary site for over 40 years (deliberately?) by the council so they dont need the ok from government to sell - its up to us plot holders to stop them.
I've tanged with the council before and won so here we go again!! ;D ;D
There is something on the government petitions page re sites that are not statutory, I just read it yesterday, go to the link I put on earlier and tap in allotments, then active ones, I am sure there is a petition for that generally, and a good time to start yours XX Jeannine
Just checked again, it is there, I have just signed it
I've just read in our local paper that a site's under threat round here too. The irony is that the site was started when an older one was redeveloped for housing. Now they want to build houses on this one too >:(
Quote from: Jeannine on January 03, 2008, 13:40:10
There is something on the government petitions page re sites that are not statutory, I just read it yesterday, go to the link I put on earlier and tap in allotments, then active ones, I am sure there is a petition for that generally, and a good time to start yours XX Jeannine
Just checked again, it is there, I have just signed it
Just signed it too - my first online petition! ;D
I would have thought that regardless of the site being statutory or not, that the fact that you have had plot holders for 30 years mean that you have some tenancy rights.
I am sure that NSALG will be able to help with this one.
If its been there for 40 years its hardly a new object in the community and you could argue that the fact its been there so long means there is an inherant understanding that this is adopted.
Saw a bit on BBC East tonight about some plots in Peterborough that are to be built on! Seems that most of the plots are unused, so its not surprising the land is being made available. Apparently some provision is being made for a smaller number of plots for those that want them, but its another sign of the problems facing sites where there is insufficient interest.
Dont let it happen near you!
The Peterborough City Council website gives a very persuasive account of the consultations etc., but I know how easy it is for politicians to 'big up' any pet proposal - if we allow any chink, the b******s will pour through. >:( >:( >:( :( :(
Thanks Jeannine - I've just signed too!
Hi Borderbabe
I am sorry to hear about the threat to your allotments.
Over the years there have been countless cases where Local Planning Authories in joint venture with large developers have chosen to sell off valuable allotment sites and it will depend greatly on your individual circumstances.
The aquisition of allotment land is a very complex one and you need to be prepared for a long and painful fight with the Local Authority(if they own the land) and you will need expert legal advice from someone who is familiar with allotment law.
The National Association of Allotment Holders is a good start and they will give you the basic information where and how to go about it, they are very experienced with disposal of allotment sites but they have lost consideral sums of money in recent years trying to help local allotment associations so they may be reluctant to help you directly with financial assistance.
My best advice to you is to get in early, don't delay, and lodge your objections with the Secretary of State well before the decision to dispose of the land is determined.
Having said that a word of caution I can tell you from bitter experience as an honarary life time member of the Littlecoates Allotment Association in Grimsby, approach your campaign with caution and do your homework.
All Local Authorities have delegated powers and they will use every trick in the book to evict you.......be prepared it will not be easy and you are unlikely to suceed unless there are covanants in the deeds of the land which prevent change of use........check at your local land registry office for details.
In 1996 North East Lincolnshire put forward a proposal to dispose of half our allotment site to build 330 houses as part of a larger scheme to build on an adjacent land - fill site called Macauley Lane.
We fought for over 5 years to thwart the £20 million scheme which finally ended up in the Courts. It cost the Littlecoates Allotment Association nearly £25k in legal fees with a further donation from the National Association of £6K.We lost the case and was a land mark case, hence the reason why the National Associatiion will give you advice but unlikely to support your case financially.
I would be happy to give you any advice I can but the Macauley Lane debacle exhausted me mentally nad I would not be prepared to go any further than that.
If you care to e-mail me at sales@heatie-wheatie.co.uk I will e-mail my telepnone number and you can contact me if you wish.
Regards
Quote from: arphamoe on January 07, 2008, 20:37:38
Saw a bit on BBC East tonight about some plots in Peterborough that are to be built on!
I had two plots and 15 year ago they kicked everyone off because they wanted to build on it. Only a dozen or so were taken out of a 100. To this very day they've not been touched or even seen a brick. I surely hope it's those your talking about as I don't want to be kicked off yet another two plots now I've spent the last year de-grassing them.
There are 72 plots on my site and 70 of them are taken. The other two only just recently been given up before Christmas. Plus the allotment manager is a pretty formidable women. The site was suppose to close year before last and she saved it. Part of the reason is joining an affiliated allotment association.
Re the Redbridge Allotments in danger, just had an e-mail from HMG with the response to the Petition to the Prime Minister!
Lots of Government-speak but my reading of it might give a bit of comfort - only if the Council can show there is no need will they be given the Secretary of State's permission. Time to concentrate efforts!!
You can read it all on www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page15239.asp