Allotment being taken over for pipelaying/tunneling...

[Lazgaot]

Morning all, everyone on our site got a letter to say the local Water utilities company were going to tunnell across the site to connect up two water mains.
Initially they said they would tunnell under the allotments, mostly along one of the access roads then across one or two plots.

My plot is in an area that they want to use. This weekend while working on my plot I found out from another plot holder that they want the land to site their heavy machinery on....and the work starts sooner than I thought, next month!

Now I've got some serious concerns I'd like advice on:

1) How much compensation should/could I expect to get? Any ideas how they calculate the compensation?
2) Since I got the allotment last June I have dug raised beds and manured them all for this year's planting. My guess is that once any heavy machinery has been on the land then the beds will be destroyed and compacted to hell. Anything I can do to limit the damage?
3) I've also got 3 beds of over wintering onions and garlic which are doing really well. How would they take to being transplanted?

Thats it for now...thanks.

[tootles]

That sounds dreadful for you. I am very sorry you find yourself in such a situation.
The first thing I would do would be to check your lease agreement with the council for your plot. If it has the right to permit such works then there will be very little you can do. If the plot is yours for the duration of the lease then things may be different. Are the works to the benefit of the site? this too may have a bearing on you position.
If you are unsure, I would suggest that the best thing to do would be to visit your local Citizen's Advice Bureau.
At the very least you could perhaps get the plant drivers to dig over your plot once they have finished.

[SarzWix]

Whatever happens, make sure you have LOTS of photos of what your plot looks like, so that it will be restored to it's present condition. Are your beds edged? Would it be possible to remove the edging to keep it safe?
Good luck, and my sympathies, I would be livid if it was happening to my plot

[jackie j]

Didnt they tell you last year when you got your plot that this was likely to happen, I would have been a bit wary of taking on a plot that was going to be invaded like this.

[allotmentlady]

they are supposed to give you 12 months notice for works to be carried out. I would refuse until u get guarantees in writing, that they will give you compensation, put everything back to normal. When ours was done they made a REAL mess, didnt respect my feelings or my allotment. It is very upsetting when you see what they do.

[NOG]

you compensation is laid down in the Allotment Act 1950 Section 2 1.

You get compensation for manure and growing crops.

The Landlord must have know by june that they were going to have to let the Water authoity dig up the land.

You need to know what they are going to do to give you a plot whilst yours is being dug up. If they are going to give you the same plot back. You should set some sterile urine bottles and take a few samples of SOIL from the plot and seal them. Then tell both the the Landlord and the Water Authorithy that you have done it and ask them if they also want to take samples. Then tell them that you will take samples when the plot is returned to you and will have both analysed for polutants.....that should shake them up a bit.

[Paulottie]

What a bummer...sympathies going out to you. I looked at your blog and you've worked hard. May be handy to have that photographic record.

However.

1. Compensation. Difficult one(and expensive?) to pursue that..doubtful you can value your effort or what percentage of your years veg needs replacing. Start softly..speak to the clerk of works at the water co./ contractor. make sure that they will remove and ***save top soil? *** and just how big this plant has to be? How long is this work to take? is this the only route they can take? how much of a saving is that from following a path? and will you lose the season? Ultimately it is better to try and get a friendly compromise and finish at a better situation than before.....if they are assh*les about give 'em loads...full swampy chain yourself to the tomatoes routine

2. make sure THEY limit the damage and reinstate it afterwards...and you don't end up with loads of subsoil on top!

3. They may bolt but the sooner the best chance really....However, depends on your position and how definite all this (and schedule) is....any doubt/objection then leave them there as its one more thing to make it look productive, to moan about, and annoying if things are prosponed /plans changed

[tricky]

Whatever happens, make sure you have LOTS of photos of what your plot looks like, so that it will be restored to it's present condition. Are your beds edged? Would it be possible to remove the edging to keep it safe?
Good luck, and my sympathies, I would be livid if it was happening to my plot

Having gone through something similer i can understand how livid you would be
Looking back I would certainly take photos , it is your way of proveing what condition your plot is in . Allso please keep receipts of purchases manure.
I think it would be a good idea to find out what work is going to be carried out .Surely this work will not just affect you but others too ,what do they think.
It was only after my similer incident that i found out 9 others was affected too .Maybe a good idea to talk to those whose affected and have a meeting .
Please keep us all informed ,keep your cool (i know thats hard ),take them photos if not a video or both ,talk to others , even putting a notice on the gate with a telephone no and see what work is going to take place.
I hope it all works out for you and i know how you feel .

[Lazgaot]

Thanks for all the handy tips! Making notes....
I called the water company and the allotment officer yesterday. The sounds they are making sound good. Obviously they want to limit the impact to the site as much as possible and the chap I spoke to at the water Co. said they were hoping to complete the work in just over a month. But I'm not 100% sure when they hope to start.

Over half of the allotment site will be affected in one way or another as the pipeline goes right across it, 10-15 allotment holders I reckon will be affected. It looks like the cut line will be away from my plot so I won't be directly impacted by that, but by the works team and machinery working there.
They are liasing with the allotment officer and will be calling a meeting at the end of the month for all of us to go to. In the mean time I'll take a load more pictures and take some soil samples too just in case.
Watch this space....

[greendean]

that sounds awful

only thing i can say is get it all in writing and take photo's

my next door neighbour has just shown me plans for adapting his kitchen extention for his disabled son. i have no problem with the guy and understand his needs but it involves demolishing the party wall between us and because my lean to/greenhouse is built between the walls they want to demolish it to carry out the work in my garden and "put it back as it was". So where they expect me to put my seedlings, plants and cats for two months i dont know. Not to mention the climbers that cover over the walland pergola. Just the thought of all this work going on during spring and possibly summer, workmen in my garden for something i dont need or want!

Of course i can refuse permission and i look the bad guy but planners etc dont think about the problems and stress it causes for other people.

hope it all works out for you

[Paulottie]

Certainly if the only likely compensation relates to loss of current crops and manure... I wouldn't touch onions and I'd be sowing away and getting everything in under fleece etc...(not easy in this weather!)

How do value muck?...there are any number of stables round here glad to give it to you but not many have a scoop on a tractor. The value is in shifting it and the sweat of shovelling it. That is all done on bartering basis by me..... I know someone with a tractor and trailer. I give her a couple of brace of pheasants(that I am get for peanuts) ...or maybe trays/pots of seedlings, boxes of veg, put her saw blades in for sharpening with ours etc etc.

Of course we all know the true value of the land is the effort you put in...especially with regard to clearing the land from the weed patch it was.

I do feel sorry for you....Hope you can get some positive solution. I don't know that offering other land for a season is practical or desirable unless it is in good condition and I can't imagine that is likely with the current demand for plots.

PS. Just seen your post, Really the best solution is if they can schedule the work either to finish before April or after September for the minimum impact to crops. Also regarding compaction you should definately push for limited amount and smallest possible plant.

[Paulottie]

that sounds awful

only thing i can say is get it all in writing and take photo's

my next door neighbour has just shown me plans for adapting his kitchen extention for his disabled son. i have no problem with the guy and understand his needs but it involves demolishing the party wall between us and because my lean to/greenhouse is built between the walls they want to demolish it to carry out the work in my garden and "put it back as it was". So where they expect me to put my seedlings, plants and cats for two months i dont know. Not to mention the climbers that cover over the walland pergola. Just the thought of all this work going on during spring and possibly summer, workmen in my garden for something i dont need or want!

Of course i can refuse permission and i look the bad guy but planners etc dont think about the problems and stress it causes for other people.

hope it all works out for you

How inconvenient with lots of opportunity for something to not be quite right Again you'll just have to agree/insist that the work will not be done in late summer...so that you can put your plants can be outside and you have no seedlings left....I hope you don't fall out with him.

[greendean]

good idea paulottie

i think the balance of power is on my side because it's a party wall. the late summer suggestion sounds ideal maybe october/november even better

[Nicos]

Lazgaot -Won't peeps have their winter crops in then..surely more than are in now???

I'd just want them to get on with it before the growing season sets in.
I know someone who had horses on a field the waterboard wanted to lay new pipes under- and they compensated exceptionally well.
My main concern would be removing the top soil- the layers lower down will be rubbish in comparison- and you don't want them all to be mixed up.

What about fruit bushes etc- will they provide tubs for transplanting into??

[Peter]

Just a thought...

They are going to have heavy machinery on site and be digging a deep trench across the site.

Get some community improvement for your short term loss.
Here are three starter suggestions made in ignorance of your site.

• Why not ask if they could dig a few more trenches and lay some drainage pipes?
• Fit a decent new secure fence? (Would help protect their kit )
• Build you a hard surface car park / track? (Would minimise the damage their kit does)

The worst that could happen would be "No, we can't do that."

On our heavy north sloping Hertfordshire Clay allotment site, which takes the runoff and drainage from a primary school site up the slope, drainage into the ditch on the other side would be a godsend. But it would mean digging lots of slot trenches across the main cart track.