Setting up allotments advice wanted please!

[cornishmaid]

I am about to start developing some allotments on my land, I have approx 2 acres to use at present and hope to start development work in the next 2 weeks, as this is such a useful and informed forum I thought I would ask for some guidance from some experienced allotmenteers!

Any advice and tips would be gratefully recieved and I would be particularly interested in what facilities people really want,

I envisage having parking on site, and bringing some water to the site from the huge water tanks which collect rain water from the barn roofs in another field, I had thought of using IBC containers with taps on for this but also encouraging people to collect water themselves too.

Fencing and paths is another issue, some allotments around here simply fence 2 rows of allotments back to back with no paths in between to the sides or back but a path across the from to access the individual allotments between every row of 2. Others simply peg out the allotments with a path all around and no fencing, if the person renting wants a fence around they have to erect it themselves, which is peoples preferred option?

I am happy to allow a shed and greenhouse on each allotment but dont want the whole allotment covered in buildings, I would envisage putting a limit of maybe 8 x 6 feet max shed and 8 x 6 max greenhouse per allotment does this sound reasonable?

I am also happy to have chickens and rabbits kept, but would not want more than about 15 animals per allotment and anyone wanting to keep any other type of animal would need to have my permision first, does this sound reasonable?

What about bonfires? I see some allotments allow these and others dont, what are peoples views on this?

I am sure there are lots of other things that people can give me advice on, I really want to set up allotments where people are happy and able to enjoy themselves growing their plants, so am very interested in peoples likes and dislikes about the way allotments are run etc.


Thanks in anticipation of lots of usefull advice!

Jane

[NOG]

I would say:

No Polllytunnels
One Shed and Greenhouse Max 8x6 Per Plot
Each Shed/greenhouse must have gutters and water butts
Back plots togather but have 24" wide grass paths between plots
No fences but Marker posts/pegs at all corners.
No driving up to plots all cars to stay in car park.
Chicks only with Permission and in approved coops (you approve them)
Flush toilet
Water tanks or ICBs
Bonfires only at set times
No brining stuff to site unless it is to be composted or for use on site. Everything braught on to site must be removed at end of tanancy.
No planting trees

[Fluorescent green]

Hi

Good luck, but I would ask why you are setting up these allotments?
I think the area bepends on the rules, so bonfires are not desirable, but ok if there are no complaints.
How close the land is to housing would be a big factor relating to the fence requirment and sheds etc.

FG

[jackie j]

I have an allotment and it has a fence around it, most on our site do, my fence is only a few feet high but some are fenced in completly. I prefer to have a fence as it keeps the rabbits out. We have to supply our own fencing unless like me you take on a plot that already had fencing.
Keep sheds and greenhouse sizes to a max size.
Bonfires are after 4pm but you need to let neighbouring houses know that this is going to happen, a letter to them at the begining would suffice.
Paths between are a must ours are every two plots side by side and a path runs along the back of each plot.
No Carpets are allowed as the backings on most of them are toxic and contaminates the soil which stays in the soil for years.
Toilets on site are a luxrary we dont have any.
Chickens are allowed in approved coops.
Water is also a must we have galvanised trough's with lids that are on an automatic refill system. Hosepipes from these containers are not allowed.
Fruit tree's would be ok.
If I think of any thing else I will post on here.
Good luck.

[mythyme]

I rent a plot off the council and they are quite laid back. we did have a problem with a tramp moving into a greenhouse so i would suggest a no overnight stays rule as this enabled us to tell him to move on . You also need to work out what your tenancy will say about people who rent a plot and then fail to upkeep it. This seems to be the singlemost thing to drive plotholders nuts as their weeds this year are your problem next year ! if you have paths between plots you will need to be clear how they will be maintained and by whom. Hope this is helpful

[cornishmaid]

Thanks everyone! some really helpfull ideas there, Any more would be gratefully appreciated. Jane

[SarzWix]

Our allotments are fenced, it makes it easier to keep the boundaries - people do have a tendency to try and pinch a bit more space

For uncultivated plots, I'd go for the '3 strikes within 12 months and you're out' approach - it's too easy for people to get a letter than come and do a day's work and disappear again. Whereas if they get chucked off because they've been warned 3 times (regardless of whether they do something in between letters), you're less likely to have the useless ones hanging on for years....

I don't think you need to lay on a water supply, unless you can do it via rainwater - our site has no mains water at all, and we survive!

I think you could allow fruit trees in designated areas of the plot, and kept to a predetermined size. That way you shouldn't have to deal with any monster trees in the middle of the plot when someone leaves.

[cornishmaid]

Thanks Sarzwix, I am happy to allow fruit bushes but as you say I dont want monster trees in the middle of the plots! when you say designated areas do you mean on certain allotments only or in a certain place on each allotment or even around the edges of the field? thanks Jane

[Spiderling]

Hi Cornishmaid. Your ideas sound lovely and I hope you get good tenants. A carpark would be brilliant as we have problems on our site with folks blocking the roads to plots with their vehicles. I would also advise tenants as to where on the plots you want their sheds and greenhouses to be sited. It can become a bit of a problem if everyone puts them differently as a shed could shade the plot behind it, for example. Some allotment sites only permit potting sheds attached to greenhouses, though ours doesn't. It also looks "tidier" if all structures are at the front of a plot, say. I also endorse Nogs statement re not bringing stuff onto the site to burn etc. Check with by-laws re bonfires. They create a lot of ill feeling if there are houses nearby... we get complaints due to inconsiderate plot holders completely disregarding wind direction and setting up big fires. I only use an incinerator bin, and then not if the wind is blowing towards the houses. Fences are a must on our site due to pesky rabbits! most of us use chicken wire so it isn't too like Colditz!! We don't have toilets either but it would be lovely in an ideal world. We do have mains water in automatic fill tanks. In a dry season, we would be in trouble without it, despite having butts on both shed and greenhouse. Definitely be strict about unworked plots! This causes so much bother with other diligent plotholders, exceptions can be made for illness etc if you are informed. Hope this helps. Good luck with your project! Cheers.

[cornishmaid]

Thanks spiderling I like the idea of sheds/ greenhouses on designated areas of the plots your idea of at the front sounds good I would like the allotments to look fairly 'tidy' and I hadnt thought of only allowing incinerator bins, that sounds a good idea, I was thinking of maybe fires only on say the last weekend of every month and now after your suggestion they will definately have to be in an incinerator bin, there are no near neighbours but there is a house a couple of hundred yards away.

There do seem to be a lot of rules that will need to be put into the tenancy agreement! I dont want to be too strict but the more I hear the more I realise that there must be rules so that everyone can enjoy their own allotment and the land be kept in good working order for the next tenant to take.

[kernowyon]

Thanks Sarzwix, I am happy to allow fruit bushes but as you say I dont want monster trees in the middle of the plots! when you say designated areas do you mean on certain allotments only or in a certain place on each allotment or even around the edges of the field? thanks Jane

our site allows fruit trees but they must be kept to 6ft high and not within 2ft of a boundary, either a fence line or your neighbours plot, seems to work as most people then train them as fans, cordons or step-overs

[SarzWix]

I have read of one site which has a communal orchard, so as to keep the plots clear of trees. But if you wanted to, you could allow a strip at one end or another of each plot for trees. Or ban them altogether, except in pots.

[jacob marley]

Re bonfire's we are allowed to have bonfire between October and March only and they can not be left burning unattended before you go put e'm out ....jacob

[jackie j]

We have a communal grass area with a picnic table and it is lined with apple trees. One of the plot holders mows the grass regulary to keep it looking nice. Paths are the responsibilty of the neighbouring plots so we have to look after the paths that adjoin our plot. I have one on each side of my plot and the chap next to me keeps one and I keep the other. We have put weed control fabric down and covered with bark that we can get for free, some of the other paths are just grass it depends on the individual that has an adjoining plot.

[Dynamo]

Have you thought about allowing plot holders to have ponds? Personally I think the more ponds the merrier seeing as frogs and toads and newts which need them gobble up a good amount of slugs and flys. Perhaps you could set a limit as to how big one would be allowed and where it could be sited.

Another idea I thought of seeing as you don't have a direct water source is perhaps you could have a few communal wells, depending on how high the water table is there. I have one on my allotment which is about ten feet deep, but its a simple construction which uses open ended stacked 48 gallon drums. God knows how old it is, but it serves a purpose in saving me from hauling loads of water from my home every day. The best way to make one now would be to use open ended plastic barrels which are probably the modern equivalent of the old 48 gallon drums. It should be easy enough to put a lid on it and then just use a plastic bucket on a rope and have a long pole handy to push the bucket under water like we do. An alternative to that would be to install some sort of a handpump.