Buying a house backing into allotments

loveka

I back on to allotments. It is very quiet, yes people strim etc but it's miles away unless it is the one right behind you. I love it how people are making it out to be like Armageddon!

Anyway, it varies so you have no way of knowing. Some sites are protected, some not. There are no guarantees sadly. The only thing you can do is check if there are any current plans. Find out if there is an allotment society and contact them if possible, you will get the local gossip that way.

I have the one behind my house, all my neighbours do. It's lovely, like living in the country.

TheGardener

eddddy wrote: »

Assuming that they it is 'Statutory Allotment Land' owned by the council, it will be harder - but not impossible - for it to be sold off for development.

There's some info about it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allotment-disposal-guidance-safeguards-and-alternatives

The 'inner' London Boroughs are exempt from the Statutory Duty to provide allotments that apply to the rest of the country so that is no protection for a London site.

The reality is that if the council decide (I'm assuming its council owned, not leased by the council?) they want to change the use of the land behind you there will be a lot of work for the plot holders and neighbours like you, to do to fight it. The best protection for any site is a well tenanted, popular site with tenants who would be prepared to engage in a long legal fight with the council.

need_an_answer

Check the councils policy on chickens and livestock.

If you are lucky to live in an allotment area where they are allowed,many plot holders take up the offer!

NaughtiusMaximus

I know a couple of people whose houses back on to allotments. The one big downside is the higher risk of burglary to comparable homes in the area as allotments are a perfect entry route for burglars given that they're unlit and completely deserted at night.

Slinky

Check who owns the land. Don't assume it's council. There were allotments in a neighbouring village which were on land that was owned by local landowners who allowed people to use them as allotments for several generations. Last owner died, the people who inherited weren't local, didn't give a monkeys about the allotments, kicked the people off the site and sold the land. It's now in a terrible state and the new owners are trying to get permission for housing to be built on account of the 'terrible state of the allotments'........The previous allotmenteers are up in arms but powerless to do anything.

bouicca21

TheGardener wrote: »

The 'inner' London Boroughs are exempt from the Statutory Duty to provide allotments that apply to the rest of the country so that is no protection for a London site.

That would explain it - it was indeed an inner London borough. Usage was starting to tick up and there was a major ruckus but the council sold the land off to a developer anyway.

YoungBlueEyes

What Slinky said.

We've had allotments in our town for generations, very popular, huge waiting list now that it's a fashionable thing again etc etc.

Long story short, despite lots of protests + pleading to landowner + writing to councils etc and got our MP on side - Greg (SilentAsThe) Knight - it's got a squillion ugly skinny new builds on it now.

mr_auspicious

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice

Turns out my Mrs knows someone who has an allotment there. There!!!8217;s a waiting list, but not hugely long. It looks like the land is owned by the council, but I!!!8217;ll need to double check that. No sign of any plans for development anywhere online, no local news stories, there is a website for owners so I!!!8217;ll dro them a line.

I know everything could change pretty quickly but it!!!8217;s good to know that there aren!!!8217;t any plans for anything at the moment

gettingtheresometime

loveka wrote: »

I back on to allotments. It is very quiet, yes people strim etc but it's miles away unless it is the one right behind you. I love it how people are making it out to be like Armageddon!

Anyway, it varies so you have no way of knowing. Some sites are protected, some not. There are no guarantees sadly. The only thing you can do is check if there are any current plans. Find out if there is an allotment society and contact them if possible, you will get the local gossip that way.

I have the one behind my house, all my neighbours do. It's lovely, like living in the country.

No it's not Armageddon but at the same time if you've hung out washing & then there's a bonfire or two going would you be best pleased?

Also parking by us is an issue...admittedly saturdays & sundays are worst it's always best to be forewarned

Elinore

My Old house backed onto allotments. We had chickens and there was a lovely barter over the fence for exchange of fruit and veg.

On the down side, a few years later the new plot owner decided to get his own chickens and scattered feed rather than pedal feeders or similar. He was also lackadaisical regarding cleaning. Within months you could see the rats walking along the fences. Huge swathes of them.

The council intervened but he refused to move the run as it had been built not to be moved (the rats had nested underneath) and he grew snippy about the whole thing as he thought i was being hypocritical as i kept chickens and they could have come from me. Soured relations for quite a while.

In the end he became ill and gifted the chickens to me as he couldn't look after them. His plot rolled over to a young couple - who didn't seem to have a clue and let most of it go to weeds which pushed our fence down (council said it was our fence LL said it was theirs - so nothing was done). We spent a great deal of time stopping the march of the weed overgrowth coming into the garden.

They were regularly broken despite the sheds not having anything of value in them. Though we never were troubled they did seem to be a draw to the low scale anti social blighters who like to break and damage things for no good reason on a friday night 'for a laugh'

But thats all the issues, in the main it was quite lovely. They do start early in the morning but i'm a early bird so that was fine.