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  • #1

    Plot Sizes

    Have just found out that my local council have a policy of reducing full plots to half plots when they fall vacant to meet waiting list demand - anyone have any info. on the legality of these tactics, which if employed by a private enterprise would be defined as 'sharp practice'
    Endeavour to have lived, so that when you die, even the undertaker will be sorry - Puddinghead Wilson's Diary

    Nutter by Nature
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  • #2
    Isn't it a reasonable way to cope with demand? As long as they are only charging half the rent, that is....
    He-Pep!

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    • #3
      Our site only offers half plots. These range in size from 95sqm to 145sqm. The bigger ones often come with extra challenges, like a massive hedge, trees, or major drainage issues, so I guess it works out in the end.

      More worrying is that our lease states the Council only has to give us a year to get off the land. We're next to a cemetery that is filling quite fast...

      We have a 5 year waiting list on our site. There are 22 sites in the borough, with 1200 full plots.
      Last edited by sparrow100; 26-02-2014, 04:02 PM.
      http://mudandgluts.com - growing fruit and veg in suburbia

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      • #4
        How many of the people at the start of the list still want an allotment?

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        • #5
          It depends if you have a plot already or not, faced with having to wait years I woulld be happy to accept half a plot. I cant see where sharp practice comes into it. Is there a legal requirement for councils to provide allotments? and if so is there a legal size? If this was private enterprise, given the demand, they would just put the price up, simple supply and demand.
          photo album of my garden in my profile http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...my+garden.html

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          • #6
            Originally posted by alldigging View Post
            How many of the people at the start of the list still want an allotment?
            On ours? It's gone through annually when plots are re-let, so it's pretty current. We have 6-8 plots free up each calender year it seems.
            http://mudandgluts.com - growing fruit and veg in suburbia

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            • #7
              We only let half plots too, it gives people an opportunity to see if allotmenting is for them & understand the time needed etc & also helps keep the waiting list manageable.

              Not sharp practice but good practice I would think. Its surprising how many are unable to keep on top of a half plot and give up & yes we charge rent proportionally.
              The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by sparrow100 View Post
                On ours? It's gone through annually when plots are re-let, so it's pretty current. We have 6-8 plots free up each calender year it seems.
                So about 40 people ish on it.

                I've seen a list that wasn't kept up to date and was almost useless apart from the last few people who'd been added recently.

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                • #9
                  It doesn't seem unethical to me. Like Hans Mum said it gives more people a chance to actually have an allotment. I've just got mine but I was on the list for years, I think its a good way to keep lists down

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bill HH View Post
                    It depends if you have a plot already or not, faced with having to wait years I woulld be happy to accept half a plot. I cant see where sharp practice comes into it. Is there a legal requirement for councils to provide allotments? and if so is there a legal size? If this was private enterprise, given the demand, they would just put the price up, simple supply and demand.
                    If a private firm decided to reduce the service they offered you by half in order to boost the numbers of their customer satisfaction levels would you not consider that sharp practice - surely the answer is the increase the amount of goods you have available?

                    If they can do this once would it be ok to do it again and if not why not?
                    Endeavour to have lived, so that when you die, even the undertaker will be sorry - Puddinghead Wilson's Diary

                    Nutter by Nature

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by sparrow100 View Post
                      Our site only offers half plots. These range in size from 95sqm to 145sqm. The bigger ones often come with extra challenges, like a massive hedge, trees, or major drainage issues, so I guess it works out in the end.
                      Our full plots are listed as 150sqm but most are less than that - our half plots range from 60sqm to 70sqm

                      We also have quarter plots and the two new sites to be opened will be all quarter plots.
                      Endeavour to have lived, so that when you die, even the undertaker will be sorry - Puddinghead Wilson's Diary

                      Nutter by Nature

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                      • #12
                        I've just taken over a 90m2 half plot on a site which mostly rents out full size plots. I was on the waiting list for more than 6 years and it's a bit annoying that now I have an allotment I still don't have the room to do some of the stuff I had wanted to do.

                        It's still better than having no allotment at all but doesn't seem fair when half the full plots are sitting unused.

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                        • #13
                          Only half/small plots offered here mine is 3.75 perch.
                          I know we'd all like more space but, IMO, the Council has more important things to pay for out of the rates, like services for the elderly and disabled - than buying land for allotments.

                          The equation is simple - they spend more we pay more in rates or tax. So, I'm just grateful for a small plot

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                          • #14
                            Our full plots are 1/8th of an acre ( 20 rods or 505 squ metre) and i've still run out of room .. We started with a half plot and moved up to a full plot after a couple of years..We have a big site, we have a waiting list but we also have some old plots that we're trying to bring back into use . We are self managed and just pay a yearly rent to the council based on the acreage of the whole site so it is up to us how and if we split any plots up. I did a google earth thing over Cov and I'm amazed at how many lottie sites there are, half of them I didn't even know existed. Think we must be very lucky compared to a lot of places..
                            S*d the housework I have a lottie to dig
                            a batch of jam is always an act of creation ..Christine Ferber

                            You can't beat a bit of garden porn

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by binley100 View Post
                              Our full plots are 1/8th of an acre ( 20 rods or 505 squ metre) and i've still run out of room .. We started with a half plot and moved up to a full plot after a couple of years..We have a big site, we have a waiting list but we also have some old plots that we're trying to bring back into use . We are self managed and just pay a yearly rent to the council based on the acreage of the whole site so it is up to us how and if we split any plots up. I did a google earth thing over Cov and I'm amazed at how many lottie sites there are, half of them I didn't even know existed. Think we must be very lucky compared to a lot of places..
                              Bins - can I come and live under your rain cloud - we get plenty here so I wouldn't feel out of place
                              Endeavour to have lived, so that when you die, even the undertaker will be sorry - Puddinghead Wilson's Diary

                              Nutter by Nature

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