When I first decided to go for it and try and get a lottie, I toured all our local sites. There was one site in particular that, to me, seemed streets ahead of the rest in terms of being open, friendly and well tended. Of course it was full and had a waiting list! I put my name down anyway and went back for another look. By chance, I got chatting with an existing plot holder and was explaining to him how much I liked the site but how long the waiting list was, when he asked me if I'd looked at plot [x]. Well, I had but I hadn't really realised it was actually a plot! It was the very end plot on a site of almost 100 and was well on it's way back to nature. Covered in brambles, bindweed and couch grass, most of it taller than me. On closer inspection though, there was shed, a derelict greenhouse (of sorts!) and several plum trees!
I rang the council the next day to enquire about it and was told the plot was unavailable, as there weren't the resources to clear it. I asked 'what if I did it myself?' and after a small silence (probably covering the mouthpiece to laugh!
) the lady came back with 'would a year's rent free period be acceptable?'
I snapped it up and have been hard at work ever since, without a moment of regret!
I'd be thrilled to be in print
and have before, progress and after pics (not that I'm done yet!).