Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi

My names is Clare and I am new to the site, a keen gardener and even more keen to find an allotment and will happily share with someone.

Is it me or are they non existent these days?

I have been told that if a number of people within a parish request an allotment (the magic number seems to be 8) that the local parish council have to provide the land within the boundary of the parish. Now if it were this easy surely they would be oodles of new allotments being set up.

Can anyone shed light on this? I don't want to go to them and say anything and make a complete twit out of myself!

Or do you have one available in the Hinckley/Barwell area I can apply for!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Chuffed I have found somewhere where people are interested in the same thing.

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I did read on the NSALG website:

Q2) There are no allotments in my area, what can I do?

Each allotment authority decides for itself how much of its resources to devote to allotments. However, if an authority believes there is a demand, it has a statutory duty to provide a sufficient quantity of plots and to let them to people living in its area. If local people feel there is a need for allotments which is not being met, they can get together a group of any six residents who are registered on the electoral roll and put their case to the local authority.

Not sure how ready the local authority are to take on the requests, I had to wait 18 months for my allotment - and then has taken my 18 months to get suitable to grow anything!

Good luck

You could have a look at Allotments: A Plot Holders' Guide - Communities and neighbourhoods - Communities and Local Government

provides some more info for you

Apparently it is true, but then they have the right to refuse your request if they don't have the land, so a pretty pointless rule really as councils tend to use a lack of suitable land as an excuse to not provide more sites. I believe the rule does not require them to buy land.

Hello and welcome to the vine clare3411. I hope someone can help you with finding a lottie soon.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Hi Clare

They've even closed the allotment waiting list in my area due to the demand.

Welcome to the Vine.

Tracey

they do appear to be getting harder to obtain as theres been a massive increase in demand, just keep trying is all i can suggest, and welcome to the vine

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

apparently it is true but not tried it myself and with regards to finding it harder to get when. for some reason its become popular all of a sudden to have a allotment. where mine is there were loads of dissused plots two years ago now they are all occupied and there is a waiting list

Different councils have different interpretations of having land available, but as people have shown on this forum, if you get together with other people who are also waiting, and suggest places your council can make into allotments, some of them do listen.

Hello Clare, welcome to the Vine.
Have you called the local council, if not here are the details........

Contact Name Allotments
Contact Address Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council
Council Offices
Argents Mead
HINCKLEY

Post Code LE10 1BZ
Phone 01455 238141, ext 5707




There are some on here.. Wykin Allotments

Wykin Road, Hinckley.

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I wish i could make a yo-yo work.
http://www.guerrillagardening.org/

Leicestershire Villages - Barwell - Find My Nearest


here are a few more....

Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

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I wish i could make a yo-yo work.
http://www.guerrillagardening.org/

Hi Clare,

There are at least two sites I know of in Hinckley and Burbage. There's one at the back of Coventry road.

Here this is better

Google Maps

Welcome to the vine btw

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Hi Clare

There are two on Middlefield Lane, Hinckley that are in occupation but haven't been tended for at least a year, these are going to be available very soon I believe.

If you want to see the plots, drop-down to us and have a look.

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'People don't learn and grow from doing everything right the first time... we only grow by making mistakes and learning from them. It's those who don't acknowledge their mistakes who are bound to repeat them and do no learn and grow. None of us are done making mistakes or overflowing with righteous wisdom. Humility is the key.'
- Thomas Howard

Visit my blog: http://middlefield-allotment.blogspot.com/

Hi Claire

It's mind boggling how slow it is to actually get one as well. We moved here last April and there are 2 large allotment sites within walking distance. We had to watch as last sumer about 40% of them were left to grow nettles taller than we are. I have been phoning to get hold of one since the summer, and am now 2nd on the list. I called again today and they have said that they are summing up who hasn't looked after theirs and only then can they give them to new people. He also said that there is more of a list now, there were only 2 of us on the list back in November.

At least they said that they are tidying them up; but the biggest plot of allotments is owned by our neighbour; who leases them to the council who them gives them to the local parish to manage; somewhere in all that if it goes wrong, then there seems to be nothing that you can do. You just have to keep on and on [nicely] at the person in charge.

I would look at all the local plots and get on the list for all of them, as soon as you can. Our allotment year here starts in April, and they won't release any until then.

Good luck.

We are trying to get new allotments set up, but the problem is finding the land. Most has been earmarked for new houses by Wards but our gardens are so small there's nowhere to grow a decent amount of anything. I joined our allotment society (we've formed one even if we haven't got the land) last Oct when I found about about what was going on. There are 22 of us now, but there's been no news of any progress so far.
Ann

This may help Barley Sugar but if you Google "allotments in Kent".

Allotments

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There is no such thing as truth. People who really know what happened aren't talking. And the people who don't have a clue, you can't shut them up.
Tom Waits

Barleysugar, depends where in Kent you are, it's a big county. I know we have some in Cuxton.

I think Sheppy?

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There is no such thing as truth. People who really know what happened aren't talking. And the people who don't have a clue, you can't shut them up.
Tom Waits

Hi

thanks - managed to get a lottie in Barwell. If anyone is in the area and looking for one there are a number about to be released on the next field.

Drop me a line and I will pass on the details. Thanks again, I am really impressed with The Vine and all your advice etc. Invaluable

Clare

Happy new lottie owner

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Congratulations Clare Welcome to the lovely world of allotmenteering, you'll soon be skip-hunting, manure obsessed and growing far too many plants to fit in the available space It's a great life

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Sarah

http://wixypixies.blogspot.com/

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Well done Clare - how exciting!

I too have always thought the rule was that six people (on the register of electors) needed to apply together to the council, and the council were then obliged (ie not forced) to try (ie not necessarily succeed) to provide more plots.

I've looked into this again recently though - partly because a grape posted a link to a speech in parliament by Tony Baldry MP. Mr Baldry has proposed a bill to encourage councils to provide more allotments - even to include them as an obligatory part of the planning process (like they already do with 'affordable' housing).

To quote his speech: The 1908 Act states that if local authorities "are of the opinion that there is a demand for allotments...in the borough, district or parish the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments to persons...resident in the borough, district or parish and desiring the same".

This doesn't mention the need for six people to write in, or for those people to contact the council together. I've spoken to Mr Baldry and he has no knowledge of these requirements. The act also says the council has a duty to provide alotments. Rather more binding isn't it?

If there are waiting lists for allotments, this in itself demonstrates 'that there is a demand for allotments'. If I were still on such a waiting list I would write to my local council to point this out. I might well do so anyway!

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Resistance is fertile

Thanks

Your right, am already obsessed - have found a manure supplier £30 per tonne, think that is a lot though for my first go!

Have enough seeds to set up a plant selling business.

A friend of a friend is selling their old rotovator - They did say the name and it is one of the top brands from a few years ago. Just waiting for the yes you can have it and I am off!

Have spent enough to run a small house on mini polytunnels and weed suppressant fabric. Just need the weather to be kind this weekend and hope we get a few spells of sun and no rain for me to go and start digging out the blackberry roots that are left!

Can't wait for easter and to get on there properly and get stuck in.

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When it comes to thinking about what I'm spending on the lottie, I find it helps me to remember that lots of my friends are spending £40 a month plus on gym fees.

Gardening cost a fraction of that, it's much better exercise and you get something to show for all your hard work!