first allotment offered - no fencing/walls so its currently a flytip site.....

Hi all.

I'm hoping you guys could give me a hand/tips for where to start.  I wasn't 100% sure which forum thread section I should be in so hope this one is ok.

I signed up about 5yrs ago, probably when first put name down for an allotment on the local council waiting list........but this week I've just received a letter offering my one of 2 plots (2nd in line so other person gets priority preference).  We are a youngish family, and plan to use the plot for some basic crops growing, and to have some chickens, and a small play area for the young one, and as a good way for us to grow crops (which currently do on a small scale in back garden of house) and some much needed exercise.

Anyways.......I called the council, who just said to go up and have a look.....they warned me to expect the worst and that they were in quite a state etc (always a good sign lol)

So I took a quick walk, and looked at the 2.  One of them is quite horrid, like a swamp and had previously been full of lots of dogs and their leftover surprises.

The other was reasonably flat etc........a bit of flytipping in the corner with fridges etc.......but easy manageable, and apparently the council provide a skip when you first get the site.

Obviously I was expecting a bit of work involved when first get a plot, with digging etc, though to be honest I hadn't really thought of the fencing side of things.

Most of the allotments on the site, are generally fenced around with what I presume is tin/metal roofing sheets.  These plots have had that removed at some point (or never had it), and there is a new temporary wooden fence that the council must have put up to stop people tipping into it.  Where presumably the gate is covered up by a chipboard too......around 4-5ft height.  The rear of the allotment leads onto the embankments of a railway line, with no fencing up of any sort at the moment.

So......it looks like when we get this we'll have to quickly get a fence up at front and rear.....and a door of some sort (you can probably tell I'm not a diy person).  Presumably we'd be best off getting similar roofing sheets as fences and somehow put a door in but I don't know where to start.  Likewise, if they give us a skip early on to empty the existing rubbish, it'll need to be up ASAP to stop anyone else from being tempted to use the plot as landfill.

I rang the council (Hartlepool) and asked firstly if they provide fencing (no surprise that they didn't) but when I asked if they knew where you go about getting fencing panels and the likes, but they just said they don't know where people get it from.

Soooooo........could I ask where you guys normally get these things sourced from?  And the best way to go about putting them up (pinning them against the existing temporary fence perhaps?).  I don't have access to a van etc, so would have to somehow either try to get local, or delivered.....or even pay people to put it up a better job than I'd do myself?  Probably want it to go up to about 8 ft or so high at front and rear.

I've tried searching the net about it but to no avail.......all guides etc only really talk about rabbit proofing etc and the startings of once you're ready to dig/plastic over etc?

Thanks for reading guys, hope I'm not too much of a dimwit lol, but getting it secured from the start and a door lol is probably essential before I can really do anything with it

I would have thought that Rail Track should provide a fence to stop people going on to the railway line at least 
There are lots of metal roofing sheets on ebay 
none of the plots on our site are fenced, it must be a local thing  it seems an expensive thing to have to do. If you don't need metal for rabbit proofing, perhaps you could make fences from recycled pallets.

thanks guys.

Well its not mine officially yet or anything - just the offer letter, and we're 2nd on list - so all depends on whether the person who is 1st on the list wants that plot or the other one.....fingers crossed.

The current tip mess thats there isn't really that bad in the grand scheme of things.....but obv would like to cover it up so as to stop people tipping into it.  I think they wouldn't once its in use anyway (and probably was only initially done when there was no fence at all).

Yeah corrugated metal roofing sheets seems to be the stuff.  I looked on ebay, though they seemed to be for collection, and none within a 25mile radius....though may be able to find a local supplier.  Doesn't seem like a cheap route to do it

Its a fairly average council allotment.....not like some of the 'nicer' ones I've been around in the past......and nearly all the plots have the full metal around them....probably for privacy as much as rabit proofing etc......around 7ft+....so being in effect the only one with a low 4ft wooden fence on it makes it more appealing to the louts that want to trash it, or whichever gits it is that have a carrier bag with a sticker saying 'weeds' on it, dropped over it on their way back home lol.  The stupid thing is was speaking to a neighbour, as I thought they were always locked up, but apparently they kicked off when started to use them, and so the gates are always left open - so unfortunately its open for more or less anyone to walk the main length of the place (probably why people cover them with the sheets)

Maybe recycled pallets are the way to go, if can find a source......won't be too worried about rabbit proofing for the immediate future, more chav-proofing...........will just get the place de-weeded and dug over to begin with, and make an area suitable for chickens etc...suppose it can't be too hard to join pallets etc together to make the fence higher so get a little bit of protection

Wish I wasn't so clueless at DIY mind lol

why not make your own fencing out of pallets?

oops sorry i must have missed that - its still early ya know