Allotments in Darwen...

[Joe]

I believe Blackburn with Darwen have just raised their rents for the first time in eight years. The lady at the council assures me that this will release a few more plots. I'm not really sure that this is a good thing.

I'd like to see more allotments available especially as some people will have more time on their hands due to this recession, myself included.

Finally, welcome aboard Malcolm. Now we are four.

[lorrain]

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hi, i am also on a waiting list in Darwen, i have just been told that i am next in line at three sites,it has only been two years coming. i understand what you are all talking about ( feeling like you are banging your head against a wall with the council ). i have found two ladies at the council to be very helpfull, can't help but feel sorry for them both as they seem to have there hands tied. i am also behind you in your challenge with Blackburn and Darwen council, count me too and i know two others who will back you up also. about time people started to have a say, maybe this new "town council" will start listening.

[allotmentlady]

Did you know that under the 1908 Small Holdings and Allotment Act that it is advised that there should be 15 allotments per 1000 households? This is legislation that your council has to follow.

I would suggest that you put an ad in your local paper, asking people on the waiting list to contact you. Then, write to the council with everyones name and inform them, they have a duty to act. Contact your local paper and have a story done.......they should ask the council for answers,

Good luck, if you need help, just email me. It worked for me and I have successfully made the council provide more land for another 30 plots.

[stephen with a p]

i got what i thought was an allotment turns out to be a garden plot as far as i can tell the only differrence is between these two is that u cant keep livestock on the garden plot but for growing veg and flowers it is ok
i have got mine down at millbrooke street lower darwen these last year where very much over grown but have been cleared
there are bout 4 that as far as i can see are vacant although i am told by the council they are taken and are waiting to be fenced before the people can move on
i have had mine since about july and no one has been near the other plots so i dont know if the council is tellin truth or not but mine has been fenced in a fashion but good enough to make a start so why they cant do the same with others to stop kids goin on i dont know when they landscaped it the view was brilliant but the kids have had four years of playin in this area before it was landscaped so who can blame them for carrying on when not feneced
it is a lovelly spot really right on the river darwen at lower darwen so if you want to try and and get one of these contact cindy at blackburn town hall allotments department im sure she will be pleased to discuss matters further or even before you do just take a trip down to see the area i wish some one would take the others its lonely on own lol lol
steve contact me on dracgoth666@fsmail.net

[allotmentlady]

good luck with the allotment steve, hope all goes well. ascertain off cindy how long the waiting list is, see if she can allocate someone down to where you are. let the newspapers know about the area, that will also let people who want one, know there is one there.

Being on your own has its advantages, do what you want, sing what you want, sunbathe in privacy, shout and yell when things go wrong, have a private barbque...........

Good luck and when the season gets going, we will pop down to see how you are, if invitations are open. :-)

[Joe]

Great news that, Stephen with a p. Will try to have a look at your garden area in Lower Darwen. Are the other plots untended or are you just missing the other keepers?

I'm puzzled by the fact you can't keep animals on your garden area as I know a couple of one garden areas in Darwen that do have animals on them.

I must ring the council again this week to remind them I still want an allotment. They always promise to ring me back with news but they never do.

Allotmentlady. You give some great tips there, might just try some of those, in a while.

[stephen with a p]

invitations alwys open lol especially if someone wants to get hands dirty lol
got some retaining to do as part of mine on a slope done one side nee to do other lol
mine dont have electric but plenty of water its on river darwen so constant suply lol
and can fish for grub for barbecue lol
steve

[allotmentlady]

invitations alwys open lol especially if someone wants to get hands dirty lol
got some retaining to do as part of mine on a slope done one side nee to do other lol
mine dont have electric but plenty of water its on river darwen so constant suply lol
and can fish for grub for barbecue lol
steve

OH is looking for fishing tackle in shed lol

[mogs]

Garden Area vs Allotment

Hi

I am lucky to have an allotment in Blackburn, but work in an area of Burnley where there are a number of neglected - nay abandoned gardens. I asked the Council why these 'gardens' couldn't be offered to people on the long, long allotments waiting list and was told that if the area is classed as a garden the Council has no duty to provide amenities such as water. If it is classed as an allotment it does have a duty to provide water, hence why I think many Councils are sticking with garden classifications due to a lack of resources to install permanent water supplies. However, I was also told that you can grow veg on gardens, so I would think that as long as you are happy to collect and trudge water it the way ahead.

Mind, I was also advised that people waiting for an allotment are often not happy to take on a garden because it's not a supervised site. Hope this helps

[mogs]

Allotments in Lower Darwen

Sorry just a quiick addition.

My Dad had the allotment in Lower Darwen for many, many years before giving it up in the late 70s/early80s just across the road from the newly renovated ones at Milbrook Street. Strange, but true he used to pay his rent to Preston Council. For anyone looking for an allotment around the area it may be worth doing a bit of diggin (no pun intended) around with Preston Council about that site. It's quite a big site and I can remember my Dad having rigged up some complicated Heath Robinson affair to pump water out of the River Darwen.

Just a thought!

[Joe]

Just rung the council again. My name was down on one of about 14 garden areas around Darwen. I've now added my name to some others that are nearby. So I'm 14th on one list, 2nd on another, and 35th on the Tockholes Road site if anyone knows it. I've never seen anybody raise a fork in anger there though It looks completely neglected.

I'm informed that council recently gave everybody notice to quit and if they were still interested they had to re-apply for them. Apparently nearly all of them did, so there is very little movement on the waiting lists.

[stephenwithap]

Sorry just a quiick addition.

My Dad had the allotment in Lower Darwen for many, many years before giving it up in the late 70s/early80s just across the road from the newly renovated ones at Milbrook Street. Strange, but true he used to pay his rent to Preston Council. For anyone looking for an allotment around the area it may be worth doing a bit of diggin (no pun intended) around with Preston Council about that site. It's quite a big site and I can remember my Dad having rigged up some complicated Heath Robinson affair to pump water out of the River Darwen.

Just a thought!

hi mogs where abouts near the millbrook site i may have to look into that coz only others i know about round there are at ewood
unless they where situated at end of millbrook street which has now been landscaped would be worth lookin into i know the one im on has not been touched proper for about 10 years

[lorrain]

i looked at the mill brook site last year when it was first landscaped. didnt look very good to me, children running around on the sites like headless chickens, hope it has changed as it could be good if the counsil looked after it. noticed that the gate at the end of the site has been left unlocked and open by the counsil workers, this is where the children seem to be getting in. i remained on the waiting list for 3 sites in Darwen for 2 years just been offered 2 garden plots 1 on Tockholes Road not very good when i have young children and the other around lynwood ave, this is a fab site, nice size garden, large garage and shed no trees and a lovely little sun trap, i will start working on it this weekend, glad i held back and waited.

[mogs]

Hi Stephen

My Dad's plot was the one across the road from the Millbrook site and chippy, with the stone wall around it - just in front of the mill which is currently up for sale - in fact the for sale sign is in the plot itself I think. He dug and SIEVED the land on this plot three feet down to level the ground (yes he was MAD and still, is for that matter!) Whilst it is very overgrown, I'm sure the weeds and brambles would come out fairly easily (well there are levels of ease to be considered here I suppose!) He rented the plot from Preston Council - I'm not sure why that is - but if I can get you anymore info happy to ask him the necessary questions.

[stephenwithap]

i looked at the mill brook site last year when it was first landscaped. didnt look very good to me, children running around on the sites like headless chickens, hope it has changed as it could be good if the counsil looked after it. noticed that the gate at the end of the site has been left unlocked and open by the counsil workers, this is where the children seem to be getting in. i remained on the waiting list for 3 sites in Darwen for 2 years just been offered 2 garden plots 1 on Tockholes Road not very good when i have young children and the other around lynwood ave, this is a fab site, nice size garden, large garage and shed no trees and a lovely little sun trap, i will start working on it this weekend, glad i held back and waited.

hi there lorraine
glad you got a plot
i was on for harwood street as well /tockholes and glad in a way i didnt take it but the millbrooke street site would be ok if the council would do what they said they was gonna do and fence it off but it all down to funds so they say
i have two of the plots on this site and the hardest work for me now i got all the weeds out off way is the fact its on a hill and need s stepping
all the other ones have been stepped by the council and yes the kids have been in and wrecked it although i dont for one minute think its the kids who go on during day or early evening they just mess in river lol bless
but its the council fault they on there in first place
they landscaped that site 5years ago and then left it well the kids have had that as a playground for that long at least
then the council re did the site i took two of the allotments and they tell me all the others have been taken and are just waiting for council to put up fence to keep people off i cant see this happening yet
i rang them today after talkin to some people on here yesterday and they seem to have put a seventeen year old girl in charge of this area in the office that is
so dont know wot to do
people keep comin down and askin me about the site when im there
as i think you have i could be wrong but did you come down one sunday with your husband and children in car if it was you we have met
steve