Need to clear weeds and have visible results in 4-6 weeks

I'd agree with Mum on that.  You also have a lot of perennial weed looking at the picture that will come through a lasagne bed and unless you keep on top of it, you will be back to square one pretty quickly.

You still have the DIY work at home to content with and this late in the season, the council will expect to see ground clearing rather than full of crops.  

I still think strim and spray is the quickest option.  Cover the ground, set up some lasgane beds and clear a bit to sow some green manure.  You can expand the lasagne beds later if you find they work well for you  

I took over a plot which was very overgrown, and when I finally hacked my way into the worst of the central bit, I found some labels saying lasagne.  Confused me no end (I was thinking the spagetti tree hoax) until I looked it up    The weeds had loved all the compost thrown on top of them and were giant lush things   

I have laid lasagne beds on top of docks, perennial thistle beds and nettles. Unless they are taking their time (three years), they aint coming through twelve inches of composting biomass.

Can only go by what I found on my plot    Docks and thistles rooted down through a mound of compost that took a bit of clearing.  

If it worked for you then great, but that's a lot of biomass for Mrs Sparkle to find in the time period she has to pacify the council and as Mum says, they may not view the beds as cultivated anyway.  Unless tended regularly, stuff will seed onto the top even if it is twarted from below. Best to check with them, explain your plans and see what the reaction is first I think  

Lasagna beds, while they're rotting down - don't really look like cultivation IMO.

Hi, I do think it depends on how the beds are done, I don't actually let mine rot down as I have always used this method on plots taken over in mid summer when the soil was simply too hard to cultivate but prime time for getting something harvested.  Because I have only set these up in summer, I find they rot down super quickly so you barely notice the layers after three weeks.  Of course, since I have set up these beds and having broken my fork trying to dig out the perennial weeds, it hasn't stopped raining and now the soil is fine to dig!  

Here are images of my new plot (took over plot in early-June):

Before cultivation (had just started chopping down grass with shears):



Two weeks ago with lasagne beds in place so far:

 

I have already harvested mange tout and courgettes from these beds and have mulched the paths now.

I think it is easier hoeing over the top layer of compost as opposed to trying to dig through matted couch and bindweed (in my case).

I'm gonna do both.

half allotment with lasanga and then use glysophosphate on the other half and cover it. 

It will be in interesting to see how it goes.

If you need to have it clear in 4-6 weeks then really glyphosphate is the sensible way to go.
I would make it up a bit stronger then is recommended, Spray the area well but from close down to prevent over spray.

Wait for the weeds to die. Then dig it over lightly to at least create a surface.

Then watch it for about a week and respray for anything that starts to grow from dormant seeds. They will grow.

Spray and cover will mean the same as you will have to uncover and dig it anyway. I doubt they will a covered allotment as a cultivated one. So you could be concealing the problem from yourself.

My concern is that trying different methods is fine if you have the time and nothing is depending on it. What do you do if one doesn't work in the time ? A lasagne bed doesn't exactly sound as if it will meet the requirements.

No-one is saying lasagne beds didn't work for you Kirpi, but there are other ways to tackle the problem.  Mrs Sparkle is in threat of losing her plot and I'm sure there are quite a few others on here that have been in the same boat.  Everyone's advice and opinions are valuable for them

Mrs S - I think half and half is a good decision and wish you all the best.  Please do post pictures of your progress as I'm interested to see how it goes as well