Where can you put your sheds and greenhouses?

[Samurailord]

We had a couple of visitors to our allotment over the weekend from another local allotment.

They had very kindly offered to come down to see our drainage problems first hand, and to see if they could offer any advice.

As we were walking back up the allotment towards the car park, one of asked if we had a site plan that showed where sheds and greenhouses had to be sited per plot.

We were a bit taken aback at this, as we had thought that the siting of structures on your plot was down to the individual plot holder, subject to being within the rules and not casting excessive shadow on your neighbour.

Our visitors explained that the local council had the right to determine where structures were placed on each plot, and that they would prefer to have them all uniform and in the same place on each plot.

There are only two greenhouses on our allotment so far, about four sheds and a single polytunnel so it is not quite as bad as it could have been if we had found out about this a couple of years down the line.

Our Secretary is getting in touch with the council today to check this out, but I just wondered if any others on allotments across the country have come across this particular kind of micro-management by the local council?

Andy

[Hans Mum]

LCC have guidelines about size etc., which we follow very loosely as a self managed site. We just ask folks to ask before they construct anything so we can check thats its not going to upset neighbours or cause any problems. Variety is one of the appealing things about sheds on allotment sites.

[Mikey]

I asked before planning to erect a shed, to make sure the proposed size was ok, but there aren't any other restrictions.

[Samurailord]

I asked before planning to erect a shed, to make sure the proposed size was ok, but there aren't any other restrictions.

There are restrictions on size and materials - sheds can be no more than 6' x 8' and they must be made of wood.

Greenhouses can also be up to 6' x 8'.

Polytunnels are not mentioned specifically, so I wonder if that means that they are not officially allowed?

Andy

[Mikey]

I was looking at one point of creating a shed come greenhouse which would have been 12 x 8 and my council were fine with this, so I guess every rule can be a little flexible.

[alldigging]

In the sample lease I have it says

'shall not erect any polythene greenhouse on any allotment garden or any part of the allotment site that is in excess of the maximum dimensions agreed between the council and the society.'


Emailing you a copy

[Aberdeenplotter]

Polytunnels are not mentioned specifically, so I wonder if that means that they are not officially allowed?

Andy

Nope, a polytunnel isn't a building. It is a frame with a cover as opposed to a " Permanent or temporary structure enclosed within exterior walls and a roof, and including all attached apparatus, equipment, and fixtures that cannot be removed without cutting into ceiling, floors, or walls."

[Thelma Sanders]

we can put a single shed where we want - no bigger than 8 x 8 but we have to ask for permission but it's only a rubber stamp process to keep the clerk in the job

Same goes for greenhouses.

[WendyC]

No sheds at all for us. Tool boxes limited to 4'6" tall. This is to discourage any unwanted visitors. When I first had my plot it was no tools to be left in site but our secretary managed to get the parish council to compromise. I should also add that our plots are 2.5 rods so sheds would be a waste of growing space. I ended up moving plot last year as my neighbour put his tool box right on his northerly but my southerly boundary shading all my soft fruit. It was over sized but he dug down 6" and got to the required height (can't help thinking it must fill with water) There is no restriction on width so it did still shade so I moved. I would like a clause to say they need to be on your southern boundary but possibly I'm being a bit fussy!

[alldigging]

The rules here are supposed to be to prevent shading.

[Two_Sheds]

We can have our sheds on the perimeter fence only ~ it does look tidier. Greenhouses though, seem to go just about anywhere.

We have a height restriction on our sheds (I think it's 6ft at the apex). Well, mine is just over that, because I put it on a concrete slab base (shhhhhhhhhh!)

[alldigging]

At this nearby site they're all in specific places but that was done when their planning permission went through as some of the neighbours didn't want an eyesore.
Which is understandable when you see some of the other sites in Oldham that are virtually 100% shed.

[Alison]

Thankfully we have no such specific limitations on location, size etc but are supposed to ask permission before errecting any structure. That said, when I put our shed up, I emailed the parish council woman who just seemed a bit confused that I was asking her at all. We're very much a live and let live site with that respect and each plot is different which I rather like. Most of us have sheds towards the back of our plots (although some in the middle) and they're in a varying state of repair. I'm the only one with a polytunnel but there are a few greenhouses dotted about and large chicken run structures. We're all properly sized plots so less worry about shade etc.

[jacob marley]

What i noticed when doing the annual walk round with the Chairman to pick the best cultivated plot (a trophy involved)a lot of plot holders had there sheds right a the back of the plots and a lot of junk/rubbish used to gather around the shed.so beware.
The rules concerning greenhouses was they had to be white frames..jacob.

[Alison]

The rules concerning greenhouses was they had to be white frames..jacob.

How strange, just for interest, do you know why? Not too much of a problem with wooden frames but am not sure what how I'd cover my alluminium one.