Allotment Advice Please!

janeawej

I have several acres of land which I am not currently using and was thinking of turning some of it into allotments, I know very little about the facilities people renting an allotment would expect or like so thought Id ask people on here, the land is quite flat with good access off a small country lane, about one mile from a village and 2 miles from the local small town, there will be plenty of parking in the field, at present there is no water supply to this field, would water butts to collect rain water be suitable? I would be quite happy to put in some large ones myeslf as well as people having their own on their plot, would a toilet be expected? I could hire a portable one but these are quite expensive. what other facilities would people like? Please give me any ideas and advice you may have. Thanks Jane:D

pjw123_2

I had an allotment which I had to give up due to there being no water. Dry soil equals red ants OUCH!
I dont think a loo is essential, as wee mixed with water is a good compost activator. All thats needed is a bit of privacy.

by the way i think your offer is very generous and kind
good luck
pjw

PeteW

Can't offer any advice I'm afraid, but just wanted to say what a lovely thing you are doing! Well done and thank you!

flea72

for an allotment a tap is helpful, but not necessary. Toilets would be classed a real luxury, its usually bucket and chuck-it

But i think your main concern would be liability insurance. However, it should be possible to cover the cost of this from plot fees - although if charging usual rates, dont expect to be rich anytime soon - most charge about £30/yr for a 10 rod plot

One idea might be, to contact your local council (either parish or town) and seeing if they would be interested in taking over the running of the site - ie they have control of the day to day maintenance, but you still retain title

I wouldnt think turning land into official allotments, would need a change of use for the land, but i would have thought vehicular access to the site might have to be looked into

Also the rules which you run the site under will have to be well thought out. as in who is liable for the disposal of rubbish, what you can keep on the site, ie size of sheds, whether livestock are allowed, how long you can leave a plot idle before you get chucked off the site, etc.

hth Flea

janeawej

Thanks, I was thinking of installing a few huge water butts with a tap how does that sound, as Im in Cornwall we do have a lot of rain so i dont think filling it would be a problem!

matt987106

you will need water, if you can get enough water in large water butts ( i dont think it would keep up with supply in the hot summer weeks )

jellymid

The channel 4 landshare website has just gone live. www.channel4.com/landshare

It links up people who want to grow/garden but have no access to land to people like you who have too much to cope with. They often offer veg or help with your garden in return. I'm sure that you will find lots of advice and willing recipients there. What a wonderful thing to offer - good luck,
Al

KennyVader

I would want to know that the space is going to be available for a few years before taking a plot on. I'd be really wary of putting all the effort into the initial layout and preparation of a plot if you might change your mind next year and build a house on it! I'd want to know it would be available for at least 2-3 years (and ideally longer) if possible!

Otherwise, doesn't really need anything. Certainly no toilets or fancy facilities at the place my allotment plot is at. Just a good solid access path. A decent, tall, secure fence right round would be highly desirable, to keep undesirables who get a kick from nicking tools or simply smashing people's hard work up. Maybe a bunch of communal wheelbarrows. Maybe a green waste disposal service.

janeawej

Thanks Kennyvader thats a very good point! I wouldnt be able to build on it as its out of the area of development for the village by a long way, so yes I would be able to guarantee several years fo use. other half has come up with a great idea of using the rain water that comes off our shed into 2 HUGE water tanks, (each one half the size of our bedoom!) and making a portable tank to fill up every day and haul to the allotments which are only a few hundred yards away, he is even thinking of using the kids pony to cart this water!

RAS

Look here http://www.rivercottage.net/landshare/ for the landshare scheme.

You need so advice to ensure you do not create agricultural tenancies by accident.

As for allotments, are you near a public transport route? Otherwise, people will have to come by car/bike and that will limit the number of people who can sensibly access the land.

Definitely talk to the local parish and town councils as they may run the site for you.

Given the distance, permission for proper sheds or tool stores would be very useful. In addition, insist on rain water collection from the roofs.

And rather than a portaloo, check out the prospect of getting permission for a two vault dry composting toilet, although water for washing would be an issue.

Try the Centre for Alternative technology for a leaflet and there are local "communes" who almost certainly use them. As long as you have a stink stack (ventilation chimney) at the back to pull the odours from the compost chamber the smell is low.

janeawej

Thanks for all the advice! we have now decided about water! Now we need to decide wether to fence allotments with no paths between them ( 2 rows off plots with back and side fencing and paths between each pair of rows) as seems to be popular down here and apparently stops disputes about boundaries, or to have each allotment having a path all the way around and no fence, the allotment holder having to put up their own fence if they want one. anyone got any suggestions?