Councils Selling Off Allotments

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #45 on: December 04, 2009, 08:57 »
interesting debate,  ..............
...............they often have scrappy bits of land as well that they cant always use so its worth lobbying your local councllors about them too.


Where I am:
Scrappy bits of land, back gardens and where schools once stood = more housing developments  :( (Often multiple tenancy flats / apartments as the profit is larger).

How many empty properties are there across the UK?  :wacko:

Even Grade 1 agricultural land (acres of it) = 2,500 houses if you are the Church Commission and need to pay vicars their retirement pensions... never mind the local community for whom the church was supposed to protect the land. It makes some of us consider converting to JW or some such thing!  >:( especially as we need just 3 new houses for local people and employment in the area is dire.

Room for allotments? No.... more houses and more profits for the building companies who employ outside labour just to add to the insult and hurt!  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(  >:(
Never keep your wish-bone where your back-bone ought to be.

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kingston boy

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #46 on: January 11, 2010, 18:21 »
Garden news might find this of use:

PROTECTION OF ALLOTMENTS 

Hi everbody, as you can see i'm a newbie on this site. I have had a good look round and you all seem really nice folk. I live in Surrey in a part that comes under greater London (if it still exists) and there is a thing called the Allotment Regeneration for London. This says that councils have a duty to create, where possible allotments. Not sell them.
In Aunt Sallys link,just a few paragraphs earlier,Nos
56 and 57 as per site says[]We note that allotments form an important part of leisure provision and this should be reflected within a local authority's Leisure Strategy[94] and Local Agenda 21 initiatives.
 Therefore i would think its national and a petion would have to be looked at due to the fact its Parliament doing the saying. I know if it was tried at our site the gang would certainly act up.
Espescially now allotments will be needed for many to get any kind of fresh veg.


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compostqueen

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #47 on: January 13, 2010, 11:20 »
The Local Government Assoc has updated its Guidelines to councils for managing its plots as I dare say they've been deluged with complaints from allotment sites under the cosh. We fought tooth and nail to keep our site and turned up all sorts of wheezes the council was using to get us off. The key thing is to stay up, they can't turf you off until they get planning consent for the land. That could take years

As for those derelict plots sitting there empty with no-one plotting on them. If no-one cares about them then why not go and get started.  Who'd notice! 

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davethespread

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #48 on: January 23, 2010, 19:58 »
i found out today that our site has been earmarked for the building of houses.the council have got to purchase land from the sewage plant adjacent to our plots,apparently this will take place in 5-7 years.
the guildford allotment society have said that the council will supply us with an alternative site but it will not be a field,they will turn over each plot so there will be no clearing of land and strenuous digging.
i dont suffer with insanity..........i enjoy every minute of it.

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madcat

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #49 on: January 23, 2010, 20:33 »
But still, if you have soil that you  have lovingly tended, a new plot isn't going to replace all that hard work.  Or the raised beds and paths, or compost heaps, sheds, munti frames....  :(   See those poor souls evicted for the Olympics!   :mad:
All we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about (Charles Kingsley)

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davethespread

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #50 on: January 23, 2010, 20:53 »
exactly madcat,there is talk of being compensated but that does not put goodness in the ground.as you righly say there is the taking down of sheds and transportation of them.what really makes me chuckle is the fact they have just renewed all our water pipes and put extra taps in ::)

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #51 on: January 23, 2010, 21:05 »
For 50 years my dad tended the plot that is now "mine"....... the soil is fantastic!

I have a half-plot right along-side my dad's old plot and they are completely different. The half plot has soil like concrete - solid clay that dries out in summer and is rock hard in spring by autumn it is like dust.

Even now, at this time of year, my dad's plot has soil you can run your fingers through, dig and turn over with ease.

New land even if it has been ploughed is no substitue for soil that has had years of hard graft and compost added. I hope the council are providing more than just a patch in replacement for the ground stolen from under the plot holders!  >:(

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #52 on: January 23, 2010, 21:07 »
exactly madcat,there is talk of being compensated but that does not put goodness in the ground.as you righly say there is the taking down of sheds and transportation of them.what really makes me chuckle is the fact they have just renewed all our water pipes and put extra taps in ::)

That sounds "normal"..... the place where I work had £200 000 spent on a new front office just over 4 years ago.... and now it is being demolished as the whole building has been replaced!
Typical forward planning!!  :tongue2:

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mumofstig

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #53 on: January 23, 2010, 21:19 »
You are grown up enough to know that the term.....'Council  planning' is an oxymoron  :lol:

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #54 on: January 23, 2010, 21:23 »
You are grown up enough to know that the term.....'Council  planning' is an oxymoron  :lol:

I think they are all morons oxygen or not! :blink:

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Zeb

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #55 on: January 27, 2010, 13:24 »

This unused allotment site a few hundred yards from me,looks like it will stay unused.

With a waiting list well into treble figures, the council says it will cost too much to secure/fence the site and add a water supply





The big problem with this patch of gound is it looks like there is a nice road leading into it so it would be ideal for yet another belt of housing to help the local authority meet their new house building targets!

We have the prospect of two lots going up near us joining little village areas together. 650 house on Grade 1 agricultural land and then 2,500 houses on the other side of us.

Amazing as a few years back the UK had excess housing stock!!



I finally got a straight answer from about this site...

Quote from email received

"Zeb, In answer to your enquiry the council 7 years ago sought from the Secretary of state to formally argree to change the status of the land from allotments to an area for possible residential development sometime in the future there are no plans to reverse this decision. "

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #56 on: January 27, 2010, 14:12 »
But did the Secretary of State agree ?

Or are they still hoping that if they keep it empty long enough it will be agreed if they ask again ?

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #57 on: January 28, 2010, 21:49 »
Zeb I suggest a few of the people wanting allotments club together to buy some Roman or Bronze Age artefacts - dig a few holes and bury them on the site.

Once the grass has regrown go and dig one up, call the press and have the place declared a site of historical interest...

If that doesn't appeal try sprinkling wild-flower seeds (slipper orchids or something similar), add a few holes full of water and a handful of crested newts, toads and sand lizards. Bingo - a site of special scientific interest so a bit can be left for the wild-life while the rest returns to allotments......

Ok - so I have had a long day...... Just an idea!  :wacko:

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NigelB

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #58 on: January 31, 2010, 11:21 »

I finally got a straight answer from about this site...

Quote from email received

"Zeb, In answer to your enquiry the council 7 years ago sought from the Secretary of state to formally argree to change the status of the land from allotments to an area for possible residential development sometime in the future there are no plans to reverse this decision. "


Then your council is purposely putting itself in breach of it's statutory duty, assuming someone has presented them with a petition requiring them to provide allotments in the first place, and they haven't provided allotments elsewhere as an alternative, or that they have a large waiting list and are taking no action to reduce it by providing land for allotments.
My advice would be to write to them explaining they are in breach, and advising them you will take legal action if they do not comply with the law. Then do so if they ignore you.

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Paul Plots

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Re: Councils Selling Off Allotments
« Reply #59 on: January 31, 2010, 15:11 »
I'd also see if you can get hold of the list of people waiting for plots - they could be useful to add weight and signatures to any pettition...

Go for it...

Citizens Advice might be able to offer legal advice for free... so, when you write, you have the correct facts.

Just a thought  ;)



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Water Charges Threat to Allotments

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