Step by step guide to creating new alloment site

[jules_b]

Hello!!

I was thinking a couple of weeks ago that I would really like an allotment after a disatrous year growing veg in our very small, dark and damp garden. I had a look around and am surprised to discover that our (large) village has no such site

So, with the assistance of some helpful neighbours who are also interested, I thought I would find a bit of land and set some up, one week on and my brain is frazzled with the ins and outs and I need a bit of mentorship!

What do I need to do, step by step?

So far I have contacted the council who informed me that they have no record of any surplus land although we are free to have a look around and contact them about any sites we think might be suitable, unfortunatly it's a very densly built village and I really can see a site that's suitable.

I have today been in touch with a local landowner who is considering my request, hopefully he will be able to offer us something. If he does, how do I set up a lease, do I need to set up an association first? I have made a start on a constiution, do I need to open a bank account next? I know some sites operate without an association but I'm hoping to apply for some funding to get us started. I have a little facebook group running for people who are interested in taking on a plot and have 20+ people already so the demand is there.

What's next, has anyone set up a site from scratch, i.e. had to find land etc, I could really do with some direction, feel like I'm going round in circles a bit at the moment!

[rustylady]

Contact these people Jules The National Allotment Society – National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd and good luck with your project. Welcome to the Vine, whereabouts are you?

[jules_b]

That's excellent, thank you! I'm in Central Scotland x

[Feral007]

Sounds like a fair bit of organising, but also sounds like there are plenty of people who are interested. Best of luck with it, and let us know how you get on.

[jules_b]

Just wanted to say thanks for replying to my post, so far...
1) I have an official waiting list of 23
2) A developing committee with a constituted committee to be elected next month
3) A website Milnathort and Kinross Allotments Association
4) Attended a number of events and local meetings
5) Began negotiations on a 3 acre site

Happy days! Reading back to my earlier post above it just feels like the project has come on such a long way, the allotment community in general has been superb so far, thanks to everyone nvolved in allotment growing for being so lovely!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Jules,

the law in Scotland makes it mandatory for a local authority to provide allotments in terms of the section 2 Allotments Scotland Act 1892. From what I know, Fife is one of the better Councils. May I suggest you contact the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society(of which I am a Committee Member but don't know much about the supply side) There is a website. I'm sure you will be given the best of advice.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Just realised, Milnathort and Kinross may not be in Fife

[alldigging]

Speak to neighbours around the site.

Parking turned out to be a massive issue for two neighbours on our site - until they had it clearly explained that we wouldn't tolerate bad parkers annoying the neighbours.

(As it happens one of the neighbours's relatives causes us more grief than you could imagine ...)

[BertieFox]

Waiting lists for 'official' allotments tend to be long and oversubscribed, but there are hundreds of elderly people with neglected gardens who would love you to cultivate part of their garden in return for a few fresh vegetables. Try organisations like Age Concern, or Help the Aged to find suitable people in your area, or even your local council might be able to help. Otherwise, advertise in your local paper or in a supermarket window.

[FruityLoop]

Hi Jules B,

I'm so glad to hear that you are taking this project on. I too live in an area with no council allotments so have a plot on a privately run allotment site. I wouldn't really know where to start in setting one up, so well done, and thank god there are people like you out there who are up to the job, enabling people like me to grow our own!

Have you tried to secure any funding for things like water provision? Our committee has obtained a grant for water harvesting, although I'm not sure where from...