[Jo-n-Neil]

Councils to find land

Thought you might find it interesting especially as the council round this neck of the woods is so keen to get rid of allotments so they can build on them.

Apologies if i have posted this in the wrong section  :oops:

Jo xx

[Tinbasher]

Councils to find land

Thought you might find it interesting especially as the council round this neck of the woods is so keen to get rid of allotments so they can build on them.

Apologies if i have posted this in the wrong section  :oops:

Jo xx

Excellent.  One of the few things (the only thing?) our authorities are getting right.  I have to say I'm the lucky recipient of one of such plots which became available last August, and was a joint enterprise between the Council and a housing developer.  The plot is only small (10m x 10m), but there are 14 such plots all enclosed on one patch of land.  Brand new fencing and gates, quite decently secure, and a brand new steel cabin, fully kitted out with sink and WC and power points.  Also a brand new rotovator supplied to us. They have recently hooked us up to electricity and mains water and fitted an underground septic tank for sewage.  These utilities cost £14k to install, which was all paid for out of another grant.  The rent to the Council for the entire site was set at £135 per annum, very reasonable you have to say.  They have recently agreed to a request by our Allotment Committee to reduce this rent further to just £10 a year for the first 3 years until we all get established.     All 14 plot holders have between us agreed to pay 30 quid a year each, we have a bank account and the funds are all secured there for future use, not least water and elecky which we all agree we will have to be careful with.  There is also an array of smaller community grants which we are currently tapping into and are assured will get a favourable response.  There's loads of money out there if your face (or scheme) fits and you apply properly.

One of the girls who has a plot works as a solicitor's clerk, obviously has a good 'phone manner and probably the 'gift of the gab'.  She got onto B & Q last October and coaxed £500 out of them - rather we got a 500 quid credit note to spend in store on what we wanted.  I suggest others of you out there try this one.  If our local branch gave stuff away, it must be Head Office policy subject to the right approach.  They will be able to write it off against tax or whatever anyway.  Give it a try - they can only say No at worst.

I can think of a few questions I would like answering regarding septic tanks, which I'm sure some of you on this site can answer.  I'll start a separate thread later after I've made this curry for me tea.  Thanks in anticipation.