What to do with plot of land

Josie_Jump

Not sure if this is correct place but someone may be able to help. I have a field 2 acres adjacent to house, is basically idle, and wondering what I could do to make an income. Is there much to be made from growing veg from farmers market etc. any ideas appreciated as any extra income would be welcome thanks

double_mummy

rent it out as allotments

after a quick google most allotments seem to be 10m x 25 m so you could easily put 30 on there with some room in between for paths

you could probably expect about £50 per plot per year (including their water rates) which would bring in £1500 a year and you may also get some free food from it if you build up a good relationship with the renters or even keep one plot for yourself and grow some of your own food

ragz_2

Josie_Jump wrote: »

Not sure if this is correct place but someone may be able to help. I have a field 2 acres adjacent to house, is basically idle, and wondering what I could do to make an income. Is there much to be made from growing veg from farmers market etc. any ideas appreciated as any extra income would be welcome thanks

Pigs? Our lollypop lady runs a kind of informal community pig ownership thing from the unused field at the end of our road. We pay her as we go for the feed, then slaughter, butchery etc (there's a bit of paperwork involved) ... even if you didn't make money you would get decent meat.

the_cake

Might it be suitable for grazing horses? (Access, fencing) If so, can give you some hints and tips!

[Deleted User]

If the land was suitable I would plant up a native broadleaf wood. It would take a little time to make you money but would be a thing of beauty to enjoy for many years ahead and you would have nature and wildlife for all the seasons of the year to enjoy on your doorstep, Cheers Lyn x.

hermum

allotments are very sought after at the moment, with a lot of councils having waiting lists of years.
This isn't for renting out allotments for money but may give you an idea of whether there's a need for them in your area, http://www.landshare.net/about/

meritaten

if you have good access then boot sales can bring in a nice little income! you charge £5 per car to sellers - £10 for Traders/burger vans and £1 parking for customers. if your field can accommodate 50 sellers and 100 customers - then do the math!

or rent to a horse-owner?

cte1111

double_mummy wrote: »

rent it out as allotments

after a quick google most allotments seem to be 10m x 25 m so you could easily put 30 on there with some room in between for paths

you could probably expect about £50 per plot per year (including their water rates) which would bring in £1500 a year and you may also get some free food from it if you build up a good relationship with the renters or even keep one plot for yourself and grow some of your own food

I think you might need planning permission for this.

sharnad

You could use it for horses

double_mummy

cte1111 wrote: »

I think you might need planning permission for this.

only if the land is not already registered as agricultural use

cte1111

double_mummy wrote: »

only if the land is not already registered as agricultural use

The problem with allotments, rather than farming use, is that allotments tend to come with fences, sheds and other structures. This is considered development and does require planning permission. It's not as clear cut as you claim I'm afraid.

There is also the possible issue that allotments might be used for leisure purposes so again not strictly agricultural use. There's lot of information on the Internet, both for and against whether allotments need PP, however I have seen it enforced against people who took a field and turned it into mini-gardens. They were forced by the council to remove all dividing fences and structures.

Here's an indepth consideration of the issue:
http://ari.farmgarden.org.uk/documents/Digging_Below_the_Surface_Final.pdf