Commercial Allotment?

[Mr. Sandy Loam]

Hi Guys,

I am toying with the idea of buying a dozen acres or so of arable/green belt land and turning it into a commercial 100% organic allotment site.

Annual rents would be slightly higher (£30-50 a year) than the average council rates but would only really cover the repayment of the investment and management costs.

As well as allotments the site would benefit from an adventure playground, a small onsite shop full of all of the basics as well as tea and refreshments.

The idea is to take advantage on the huge demand for plots at present whilst providing somewhere for families to get stuck in and grow some organic fruit and veg.

This idea is still very much in it's embryonic form and any feedback or ideas would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

Jason

[Capsid]

Perhaps you might like to talk to other private allotments? There is one near where I live, this is their website.

Firs Estate Allotments, Derby

[Pumpkin Becki]

We are on a private allotment in a nearby village. The site is quite small (approx 1/2 acre) with 8 plots, which are only about a 1/4 the size of a conventional council plot. We aren't allowed sheds, but there is a small communal building that everyone is free to use.

Our rent last year was £28, which includes use of the water tap. There is no parking nearby, as the site is down a tiny lane (more of a footpath!!), but necessity is the mother of invention, and everyone copes very well getting thing to and from their plots.

I love the intimacy of our site, and a quarter plot is sufficient for our needs at the moment. Our landlord provides chestnut posts which he puts round everyones plots so that we can put in our own rabbit fencing, as rabbit damage is a big problem on our site.

We are very lucky, there are no grievances between the plot holders, so we don't have a commitee or anything (though maybe it would be nice if we did...).

The council don't seem to feel that the village needs a council run allotment, so we are lucky that our landlord decided to give his field over to us.

[mrs dog]

I think in theory it sounds good. If you do it right you would have a really good crowd all pulling together like an old fashioned community. Now that can't be bad can it?

[sewer rat]

Jason
The idea sounds very good and you are to be commended on considering such a move. However, before you go much further, I would take a good look at the cost of arable / green belt land in your area. I rent 5 acres at £250 per acre (that's the going rate up here, but to buy the same would cost me £2000 per acre. And that is before you put in water and any other facilities.
Don't wanna pour cold water on your plans though - maybe there are grants available for this sort of thing ??

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Jason. Sounds like a good idea but you don't say what would be the cost of the ground you would be buying. I don't know what people would pay in rents. Some people want to pay next to nothing but have paths, fences, water, sheds, weeds removed, ground rotovated and everything laid on. Check out the demand in your area and what people would pay for what you can providr for the price.

[Flummery]

You might need to look at insurance too. However, I'd LOVE a site like that!

[OverWyreGrower]

I think (but someone correct me if I'm wrong) to be 100% organic takes a while, especially if you're going through a body like the Soil Association for certification

You'd then have to make sure that no-one on your site used any chemicals etc and were totally committed to organic ethics, with regards to weedkillers, fertilisers, seeds etc. (as they could only plant organic seeds/seedlings, use organic manure, use approved pest control methods)

I think that this would be the hardest part to be honest, nevermind the rest of it!

[Mr. Sandy Loam]

Land can be bought for 3/5k an acre in Gloucestershire, I'd be stumping up the cash personally so it would be a long term investment obviously.

[francesbean]

I was watching one of those property programmes this morning and had the very same idea about a little piece of land on that - although not viable as it had planning permission for a couple of flats and was 60k. But good idea if the land price was right and long term investment.

[Mr. Sandy Loam]

...this is arable/green belt land in cotswold settings in which planning permission for buildings would be nigh on impossible.