Allotments in Darwen...

[looby lady]

Hiya, I am writing for help advice etc etc! I live in Darwen, Lancashire and I am told there are no allotments in Darwen by the Council! There are garden plots but no allotments?? I have been told there are endless waiting lists for all sites in Blackburn with Darwen. I have been reading the Small Holdings & allotments act and its states "If the council of any borough, urban district, or parish are of opinion that there is a demand for allotments in the borough, urban district, or parish, the council shall provide a sufficient number of allotments, and shall let such allotments to persons/resident in the borough, district, or parish, and desiring to take the same."
So why can an area have no allotments only garden plots and have waiting lists with 10 or more people for each site???
I am so confused!!
Looby lady

[nickson71]

I live in Darwen too

I'm currently on 2 waiting list but I got a feeling it will be a long long wait


I'm not to sure on the rules but I vaguely remember that a minimum number of people need to approach the council before they are legally obliged to provide a site for allotments.

[Joe]

I'm also in Darwen and on the list for an allotment in Blackburn. I would prefer one in Darwen but the garden areas lack the normal provision of water and electricity that allotment sites have to provide.

We could if we can find enough people interested go to the council to ask for more provision.

The last time I spoke to the council they said they were going to check all the Darwen gardens and evict those not using them.

[BrideXIII]

sounds like a plan, if you find enough people in your area that want them, and approach them together, then they should have to supply the ground.

looks like we may really need that campaign subforum after all

good luck to you, and start thinking how you can get the word out to people in your area.

[Joe]

Ta. I've just been spurred in to action by another post. I've just rung the nice lady at the council again. She's gonna ring me back to tell me if there is a plot available for me. I think they might have just evicted one or two allotment 'holders'.

[nickson71]

Hi Joe you'll have to let me know how it goes

I've just sent you a PM also

Ian

[Joe]

I've had a chat with the lady at the council again. Quite a useful chat and she tells me that they are about to develop a site on Rose Hill Street, Darwen with about 70 plots. I also suggested a site to her that they might now also consider.

The demand for plots in Blackburn and Darwen is not as high as I previously thought and in particular Darwen has very few people on the list. There are apparently only 85 people on the waiting list for the whole of Blackburn with Darwen. Unless of course the allotment secretaries are holding seperate lists to that of the official council list.

The site they are about to develop will not be statutary allotments but garden areas because its easier to evict people from them. Unlike an allotment there is no need for either party to give 12 months notice of termination of contract. They are apparently on month by month basis, but the rent is still paid annually.

I hope to hear from the council lady again tomorrow.

Are there any more Darwen allotmenteers out there?

[BrideXIII]

whilst this 'garden plot' thingy is understandable from the eviction point of view, I still can't help but see it as a chance to hold onto the land for later resale for development easily ( or easier anyway) still half a loaf is better than none, and i wish you luck, however....once you have your plot, get together with the other plotholders, and look into starting slow pressure to gain 'statutary' allotment status.

[Two_Sheds]

...but the garden areas lack the normal provision of water and electricity that allotment sites have to provide.

er, no they don't.
I haven't heard of any sites that have electricity, and not all have running water either.

[Joe]

er, no they don't.
I haven't heard of any sites that have electricity, and not all have running water either.

I got my information from our council website.

Allotments

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Council has to provide allotments under statutory powers.

Although the land is owned by the council the sites are managed by allotment associations. There are around 11 sites in Blackburn.

The plots have water and electricity facilities and have restrictions on their use.

Please note that there are no statutory allotments in the Darwen area.

Allotments : A-Z of Services : Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

So in reality the so-called garden plots that we have in Darwen are allotments but they are not part of the statutory provision. Surely there must be some other reason they call them garden plots rather than allotments.

Is the only requirement of a statutory allotment the land alone with reasonable access? Are there no extras; water, electricity, parking etc included in the deal?

whilst this 'garden plot' thingy is understandable from the eviction point of view, I still can't help but see it as a chance to hold onto the land for later resale for development easily ( or easier anyway) still half a loaf is better than none, and i wish you luck, however....once you have your plot, get together with the other plotholders, and look into starting slow pressure to gain 'statutary' allotment status.

This may be the real reason our plots are gardens rather than allotments.

Watch this space!

[Joe]

I live in Darwen too

I'm currently on 2 waiting list but I got a feeling it will be a long long wait


I'm not to sure on the rules but I vaguely remember that a minimum number of people need to approach the council before they are legally obliged to provide a site for allotments.

Just checked this out Ian, its 6 people needed to approach the council.

Q2) There are no allotments in my area, what can I do?

Each allotment authority decides for itself how much of its resources to devote to allotments. However, if an authority believes there is a demand, it has a statutory duty to provide a sufficient quantity of plots and to let them to people living in its area. If local people feel there is a need for allotments which is not being met, they can get together a group of any six residents who are registered on the electoral roll and put their case to the local authority.

Quote is from http://www.nsalg.org.uk/ then click on FAQ.

[nickson71]

Joe

you can definitely count me in I'll ring you during the day tomorrow

I'll also get in touch with the council too

I guess we only need 4 more people to start causing a problem for the council

Ian

[malcolm]

Add me to list...........i would like a allotment.....and even if i don't go ahead because of distance from my house etc at least it may help others

regards

malcolm

[looby lady]

So how many of us is that...

I have spoken to lots of different people about this and I have heard good and bad reports about the Rose Hill site- yes it is, no it isnt etc- its like a bad pantomime!! I have spoken to a lady who is fighting the cause for allotments in Darwen and I am sure she has a few names of people who would be happy to lobby the Council.
I have also emailed Dave Morris who is the NW Rep NSALG and he is trying to push the Council too.
There is also the scheme Landshare which Channel 4 are pushing and it will be a register of people who have spare land and people who want land.
So what do we need to next in our lobbying quest to the Council???

[nickson71]

I'm very interested as you have all gathered

I'm not too sure what needs doing next

but I'd quite happily get involved assuming we can get enough signatures

would it be any help if I also emailed the NSALG NW Rep if so where would I get his email address.

I guess that if there are enough people we'll need to get some paperwork generated if we were trying for a statutory site .... rather than the gardens at Rose Hill.

Who is the lady that's fighting for Darwen allotment is this the lady at the firm working for the council

Ian