ONE ALLOTMENT - ONE FAMILY
Last post 22-10-2009 9:27 AM by Digger. 7 replies.
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30/08/2009 11:57 PM
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In this day and age allotments are an increasingly scarce commodity with many districts suffering extensive waiting lists of families desperate to grow their own produce in an ecological & enviromentally sensitive manner.
Whilst many councils do their bit in providing extra space as their budget allows - other users occupy multiple sites across borough boundaries. Is this fair? Does any one care?
Beetling ahead....maybe.........?
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31/08/2009 10:24 AM
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- Julie
- London
- 28 Apr 2009
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27
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As someone on the waiting list who was told it would be "well over 20 years" before I got one, I had already thought this was quite unfair - unless of course there are surplus plots. I want to campaign for more allotments in my borough. Not really sure how to go bout it or identify likely sites that could be suggested.
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31/08/2009 11:07 AM
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- miranda
- Oxfordshire
- 17 Nov 2004
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2,977
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I couldn't get an allotment either, Julie, though the waiting list was nowhere near as long as your wait, only 2-3 years. That's long enough, though, and longer than I wanted to wait so me and my partner started knocking on the doors of local land owners and asking them to let us use a bit of land there instead. Some of them were a bit snooty, but others obviously wanted to help and we found ourselves a nice little spot on a farm just outside town. Of course, it cities it won't be as straightforward, but if you look at aerial maps there is a surprising amount of land about that could just as well be used by gardeners. I hope you can find something, a 20 year wait is ridiculous.
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31/08/2009 11:30 AM
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- bird76
- Beckenham
- 23 Mar 2008
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Hi all
as a lucky allotment owner, I have done some research on this and HFW has this on his websites: http://www.rivercottage.net/landshare/ seems like a good idea and you may get something out of it. Also take a look at Allotment Regeneration Initiative who help with law and fundraising regarding allotments.
Claire
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31/08/2009 08:39 PM
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- Julie
- London
- 28 Apr 2009
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27
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Thank you. Excellent ideas. I've responded to someone on Landshare who lives near me. I use Google maps every day but never thought to check for open spaces for allotments - I will do that this week.
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31/08/2009 08:48 PM
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- Phot's-Moll
- The sunny South coast.
- 06 Jan 2007
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3,347
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I think people having several plots comes from when many plots were
unused - obviously it's better for one person/family to use two plots
than for one of the plots to get overgrown. It seems less fair
when there are waiting lists, but it's also unfair to kick somone off a
plot if they've spent years improving the soil, may have bought a shed,
established fruit bushes and asparagus etc. What we need is more plots.
Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
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21/10/2009 09:32 PM
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- RogerBee
- Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
- 14 Jan 2009
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84
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I agree with all the initiatives that have already been suggested on this subject. One I would add, is to keep contacting your local council every 6 months or so to find out where you are on the waiting list and what they are doing to alleviate the problem. You never know, they might just do something about it, if only to get some peace and quiet. Council meetings are also open to the public so if you could find out how to attend and raise a question - it then has to be minuted and acted upon.
Give it a go - it might just work!
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22/10/2009 09:27 AM
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- Digger
- Northern UK
- 18 Jul 2005
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4,743
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Contacting the councils agenda21 officer is always a good place to start your campaign and of course local area committee meetings are as you've said another good idea, local authorities still have a statutory obligation to provide allotments and saying "we've non available" is not an acceptable argument, the recommendations in agenda 21 bolster the councils obligations to provide the amenity.
digger 
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