New allotments

[Sunbeam]

we have just been given a part of our late neighbours garden by our district council to turn into several allotments and I and a neighbour are the committee that has the responsibility of transforming it into plots....

Having never had an allotment before we are at a bit of a loss as to where to start! We know they are measured in rods.... and thats about it! Could someone give me a few answers to several questions please!!!

1 - how many rods is the average size allotment
2 - does the parish have to supply running water?
3 - does a shed/greenhouse with a non permanent base count as a building?
4 - what width are the average paths?

I think the list could be endless -

Any advice would be appreciated

Adrienne

[Norm]

The simple answer is, it depends on the council. Each of my plots would work out at 2 rods by 4 rods. In other areas, there are bigger plots, some smaller. Some councils provide water, others don't. Some allotments have roads into them, others just have paths.
As for sheds/greenhouses/polytunnels, each council will have it's own rules.
Your best bet will be to ask the council what they can help with, what their rules are and what they will expect from you. Just watch your step, it's a mine field.
I'm secretary of our allotments and most things are negotiable. (often at a price)

[Paulottie]

The average allotment is 10 rods, A rod is 30.25 sq yards...so that's about 300 odd sq yards or 250 sq metres to you Francophiles. You can charge by the rod or whatever you like. I do 1/2 (less than 6) and full(more than 6 but less than 10) because I got fed up with the ..."but I've only got 8 1/4 rods' crap

There is usually a standpipe and the tenants pay a potion of the water bill. ( about 5 or 6 quid a year!) I am a communist!!! all pay the same on ours. We put in a couple of extra taps and I gave a couple of water butts to the allotment. I am using this years rent to buy more waterbutts for all as it helps save water.

Yes a greenhouse , shed, pigsty, chicken coup are all buildings. You need written permission from me on ours to have anything. I can only get the parish council to agree to greenhouses. Our neighbours, and me for that matter dislike shanty town sheds.

Paths are 2' wide (enough for a wheel barrow. ) but it depends. my predecessor hated paths and we actually have them as part of the plots for which an adjacent tenant is responsible. Thing a bit more lax under my regime as there seem to be two established paths. I tend to mow them.

I can send you a copy of our tenancy agreement and my etiquette letter. if you pm me.
It is all really down to the council in question though. Ours is a pretty typical small village site.

[Sunbeam]

thanks for the info - I am putting together a working list of what we have to do to get the site up and running, how formal a committee do we have to be - according to the bumpf we have been given we have to have 11 meetings per year plus an agm - a bit of a laugh seeing as there will only be 4-5 of us! we have been given the go-head to put in a standpipe and to fence off the area, which is good. Some of the plot is currently turf and the rest all dug over - I guess we should lift the turf and use it to form pathways between the individual plots - at least this way we have defined areas

[Paulottie]

You don't have to be a commitee at all unless you wish to be part of an association...I think you need 10 plus anyway. Also the small advantage is when applying for grants. We don't bother with all that. I think you only need a treasurer plus secretary and/or chairman and an AGM for a society though.

Grass Paths...well the arguement against them is weeds growing in from them, upkeep and the fact that land is not rented out. But I'm of the opinion one or two are as easy to mow as to cultivate so i've removed a couple from the rented land..previously they belonged to the tenants adjacent.

[Snadger]

The average allotment is 10 rods, A rod is 30.25 sq yards...so that's about 300 odd sq yards or 250 sq metres to you Francophiles. You can charge by the rod or whatever you like. I do 1/2 (less than 6) and full(more than 6 but less than 10) because I got fed up with the ..."but I've only got 8 1/4 rods' crap

There is usually a standpipe and the tenants pay a potion of the water bill. ( about 5 or 6 quid a year!) I am a communist!!! all pay the same on ours. We put in a couple of extra taps and I gave a couple of water butts to the allotment. I am using this years rent to buy more waterbutts for all as it helps save water.

Yes a greenhouse , shed, pigsty, chicken coup are all buildings. You need written permission from me on ours to have anything. I can only get the parish council to agree to greenhouses. Our neighbours, and me for that matter dislike shanty town sheds.

Paths are 2' wide (enough for a wheel barrow. ) but it depends. my predecessor hated paths and we actually have them as part of the plots for which an adjacent tenant is responsible. Thing a bit more lax under my regime as there seem to be two established paths. I tend to mow them.

I can send you a copy of our tenancy agreement and my etiquette letter. if you pm me.
It is all really down to the council in question though. Ours is a pretty typical small village site.

Crikey Paul, you've got me worried! You aren't the Secretary on the GYO film are you

[SarzWix]

Crikey Paul, you've got me worried! You aren't the Secretary on the GYO film are you

I'm sure Paul stops short of insisting that all the greenhouses be painted blue

[Norm]

For all the young people reading this thread, I thought it may be an idea for one of us old people to explain these ancient measuring terms for those who don't know them.
A rod is a measurement which was phased out between 1965 and 1975 during the metrication process. A rod is a measurement of length of five and a half yards (16 feet 6 inches or about 5.03 metres). A square rod is 30.25 square yards or 25.3 square metres.

[NOG]

Very true but triditional it it the length heal to toe of the feet of the first 10 men out of church on a Sunday.

And for the young folk a church is the use that the Bingo hall had before it beacme a bingo hall.

[Snadger]

Very true but triditional it it the length heal to toe of the feet of the first 10 men out of church on a Sunday.

And for the young folk a church is the use that the Bingo hall had before it beacme a bingo hall.

.............LOL!

[Norm]

And for the young folk a church is the use that the Bingo hall had before it beacme a bingo hall.

Absolutely brilliant NOG. Told the lads down the lottie today and they were in hysterics.

[Novice Gardener]

My father in law got a lottie recently and it was in "perches" . Any idea if a perch is the same as a rod

[Norm]

Any idea if a perch is the same as a rod

As a youth, we had to learn, parrot fashion, the following:-
Twelve inches = One foot
Three feet = One yard
Five and a half yards = One Rod, Pole, or Perch
Twentytwo yards = One Chain
Ten Chains = One Furlong
Eight Furlongs = One Mile
That's why we went metric
Measuring areas in rods or perches simply has the word 'square' missed off the front i.e the lottie should more correctly be described as SQUARE Rods or SQUARE Perches

[jemus]

by the sound of it ive got the wrong site. rods poles and perch is this the fishing fourum
if anyone tries putting a pond in my lottie ill flippin break their rod