How long do they take?

[angel35]

Hi there,

There is a piece of land near to where I live (an unused football pitch) that has been given planning permission to convert the use into allotments.

The planning was passed in june and I have been told that it can take up to 5 years for the work to be done to convert the land!

Who do I speak to to try and speed things up? Can I actually do anything?

Cheers kim

[COMPOST CORNER]

. It may be worth at least trying to get information from the parks/gardens/leisure/amenities (whoever allotments are goverened by) section from your local council first. If they are not helpful an MP's letter to the council may help. Write to your local MP expressing your concerns and ask them to make enquiries on your behalf. MP's are duty bound to reply to constituents letters. It may take a while to get a reply because s/he will have to write to the council and then wait for their reply, however as a word of encouragement, I work for a Gov't department and can tell you that nothing shakes things up like an enquiry from an MP.

Ooops, just noticed your location. Try your Welsh assembly member as well as your Westminster MP.

And welcome to the forum.

[rustylady]

Check with the council who passed the planning application to find out who made it, then you can contact them direct. Also your MP, local papers.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I think that the 5 years bit is how long the planning permission is valid for - that is, it won't take 5 years to convert the land, but the owners have 5 years to convert the land.

I think that a good place to start is whoever made the planning application. Their details should be online in the planning section of the local authority website.

[elsie-scot]

Can't remember in which mag I recently saw pics of land that had been an unused play area being converted into allotments, and it pretty much looked like whoever got assigned to each plot was digging up the turf etc, and then other facilities i.e. water, was getting put in at same time. So maybe if enough people are on the list for plots, you could all get together, offer to do things, and that might get things speeded up.

[bluemoon]

A disused football field IS allotments, it's just that they haven't got tenants yet. I wouldn't have thought that much needed doing other than marking out the boundaries and collecting the rents. Of course if they're going to individually fence them and put up a secure perimeter then it will take longer, but if not then technically it could be done in an afternoon with a few poles and some of that tape they use in CSI. If they are going to make them secure then it might be worth your while waiting as there's nothing worse than having the local yobs on your plot on a Saturday night, but if you feel they're dragging their heels then start nagging.