Saving my allotment any advice appreciated

[stonesinger]

Hey all, I think this is in the right place my apologies if it isn't.

I have a slightly unusual situation so I'll give the details. I have an allotment "strip" that is based in school grounds, there are about 8 strips there, established just last year. The school however is closing in July 2011 and I'm starting to make enquiries to see if there is any chance I will be able to keep it on.

The whole site is quite large but the allotment area is a very small part and nicely tucked up the corner. The site as a whole is currently under public consultation to see if there is any viable community uses, the council wants full market value for the site, the criteria states that any suggestions for future use must have a longterm financial plan, meet a recognised but unmet community need and have considered if the community use could be accommodated elsewhere.

I have been in contact with the government department dealing with the disposal of the site who have invited me to make representation as appropriate based on the criteria, also that the final use of the site will be dependant upon a planning application.

I'm unsure of the best way to go about this and what a planning application would involve.
At present 3 of the strips are used by teachers, I'm not sure if they will really want to keep theirs as they don't live in town and will be working elsewhere, the others are at best badly tended, some have grassed over, so I don't think I'll have much community support from the current owners.


Any advice is much appreciated, Thankyou.

[SarzWix]

I'm sorry, I'm totally useless on the legalities of planning regs etc., but 2 suggestions I'd make are - advertise locally to see if there are any other local people who want allotment space - some people may not be aware that the facility even exists. Also, join NSALG, and ask them for help. Their website has a lot of information that might be useful - The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, NSALG, Allotments, protect, promote, preserve, grow your own

[stonesinger]

Thank you for the reply and suggestions. I'm sure there would be other people locally who would get more involved and make better use of the site but at the moment it's still under control of the school and I don't really have the authority to say whats done with the other plots.
I will look at the website thankyou again.

[mogs]

If you want to speak to someone impartial regards planning - look up your local Planning Aid contacts. These are qualified planners who work voluntarily in other Local Authorities from their own and assist people (particularly Community Organisations) around planning issues or queries.

It's not necessarily so that the Council has to get full market value, if there is a community use possible - see the Government Report 'The Quirk Report' which is all about Government engouraging local authorities to support community asset transfers and then ask the Council if they have an asset transfer policy in place. If you think it's a goer, the Development Trusts Association could maybe assist, as they have been commissioned by the Government to work with Local Authorities and Community and Voluntary organistions around asset transfers. (May be worth a shot!)

If you have any existing voluntary sector local food growing projects or community farm type organisations, you could contact them for their support also.

[SarzWix]

You could maybe put a poster up asking anyone who is interested in allotments/community gardens to get in touch with you. And then when/if you contact the council you have proof that there is demand for growing space