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Original poster

Having my allotment taken off me

28 replies

Fleuried · 07/07/2018 11:43

I know this is my own fault.

I've had a council run allotment a few years. I've never had much success with it (I've killed lavender and mint in the past. This is how bad I am at gardening!) but I've mostly kept on top of it and have enjoyed it.

Over the last 12 or so months I've not really been there. I've been off work sick for months and well, life.

About a month ago I got letter telling me to improve it within a week. It was meant to be 2 weeks but there was a delay with the letter. I should have contacted the council then but I didn't.

I cleared some of the plot and put in strawberries and covered some of it. A large section had nesting birds so I left that bit because it's illegal to disturb them. Again, I should have told the council.

I got a letter a few days ago telling me I was being evicted in 7 days from the plot for non-cultivation. I am gutted and feel so guilty as it's the only outside space my 7 year old has.

I've written to appeal, explaining the steps I've taken since the first letter. I am going tomorrow to do some more work and hopefully speak to the head honcho on the site. There isn't a commitee as such but he seems to have the most contact with the council.

Can anyone else suggest what I can say to keep my plot? Or has anyone successfully appealed a decision like this?

I'm upset about it.

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 07/07/2018 11:52

What a shame. The reality is though that there are waiting lists for allotments, sonreally it’s quite fair that they do this, although it’s unfortunate that it’s illness that has caused you not to be on top of it. If you can’t appeal to the head honcho’s better nature today, I think the only thing you can do is put your name back on the list and concentrate on getting well again. If I were the head honcho, I’d let you keep it if you promised to do some work on it. Fingers crossed for you that you get to keep it.

RideSallyRide76 · 07/07/2018 12:11

I don't mean to be unsympathetic but if you haven't been to it in a year then your interest or ability to care for it is fairly limited. There are people wanting allotments who would really benefit from it and visit several times a week. You are being unfair keeping it when you don't use it. Why not take your dc to the park or join some sort of a gardening club to get them out in the fresh air.

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 07/07/2018 12:15

It doesn't sound like you have the time, energy or knowledge to keep the allotment

Are there no public outdoor spaces (parks etc) in the area where you live that you can take your child to?

SumerisIcumenin · 07/07/2018 12:15

No, there are enthusiastic people on the waiting list and you need to stop hogging an allotment that could be productive and a source of huge enjoyment for others. Presumably, if you haven’t been up there much in the last year, neither has your child. Time to find something else for you to do together.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 07/07/2018 12:16

That’s tough. But I don’t really get the “it’s the only outside space my 7 year old has” angle when you haven’t actually been there for around a year?

RiverTam · 07/07/2018 12:21

It’s a shame but you haven’t been using it so it needs to go to someone who will.

As an aside, I get annoyed by people who have huge gardens but have an allotment as well!

Caribbeanyesplease · 07/07/2018 12:23

I’m sorry but I completely think it’s right that it’s taken off you.

“Well, Life” really isn’t an excuse. Poor health is though but you failed to give be council a quick buzz to explain that.

Someone could have really enjoyed that allotment over the last year. Hopefully they will on future.

CanaBanana · 07/07/2018 12:25

I'd argue discrimination - they should make allowances for illness. Is there a set of rules or code of conduct? Does it specify how long you can leave your plot uncultivated in case of extenuating circumstances? Also it sounds like you have complied with the letter - they gave you time to improve it and you did.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 07/07/2018 12:26

How had a large section got nesting birds in it? I though birds nested in trees??

3luckystars · 07/07/2018 12:27

Good luck with your appeal. I think if you do keep it, you should make a promise to keep in contact with the council more, dropping them an email or calling them to explain would only take a few minutes and it would prevent this stress.

People get ill, I think you should ask them if you can have it for another year to give it a good go and then you can all review the situation in a year.
Sorry this happened and I hope you are ok.

SumerisIcumenin · 07/07/2018 12:35

If you are in England, the birds should have finished nesting by the end of May. Delaying responding just means that you reinforced the CBA impression you already made with the council. Seriously, why hang onto it? You sound as if you’ve been a fairly indifferent allotmenteer since you acquired it. Probably the others have noticed and commented too. They are popular, lots of people want one.

tenbob · 07/07/2018 12:39

cana
What discrimination?!

OP has been ill and a bit lazy. There is nothing in the OP about any protected characteristics and 'not being arsed' isn't a recognised disability

I agree with PPs
There are long waiting lists of people who would love to have an allotment to use properly and it's only fair they get the opportunity

Bluntness100 · 07/07/2018 12:42

I think if it's been a year then that's quite a long time really. Are you sure you want it, it doesn't seem you've the time energy or inclination to manage it, and there is plenty of outside spaces for kids.

I'm also not sure how there is nesting birds in it. Is it largely overgrown?

TellsEveryoneRealFacts · 07/07/2018 12:49

My plot neighbour left 3 summers ago. The plot was taken over by a lady with a child.

The first year they did a fair amount of work, then left the weeds to get to waist height. Doing this brought Ragwort to the plots. Excellent. I now spend loads of my time digging out ragwort.

Last summer, they put a greenhouse in, which I got told off for.
They then put some crops in, left them all and I had to watch as the weed seeds drifting over onto my plot again all summer long. they harvested none of it.

This year, the weeds are nearly neck high, the seeds are all blowing over, the fruit crops are going to waste which means loads of wasps around my plot [great], and I wrote in to ask if anyone was actually on the plot - they came, cleared a couple of meters [not the hight weeds next to mine though!] and that was a month ago. I have offered to run my mower over it to cut the weeds down so I am now just cutting down the perennials before they go to seed.

Spending your spare time trying to maintain an allotment is bad enough, let alone when someone next to you isn't maintaining theirs - it is a nightmare.

Having an allotment is hard work.

dinosaursandtea · 07/07/2018 12:56

I have to agree with PP - it’s not like having a garden. Allotments are a space everyone wants, and the people who do it are usually there a good few times a week. And if it was overgrown enough that birds were nesting in it, that’s really not on.

RideSallyRide76 · 07/07/2018 13:00

Just a suggestion op, if you and dc are keen to keep going, why not give up your own allotment and offer to help another person out with theirs. Perhaps make a once a week commitment? This would give you a bit of outdoor time with your child and help you take stock of whether you would like to reapply for your own allotment when you're completely better. If you help an experienced gardener then you might pick up a few tips too Smile

DPotter · 07/07/2018 13:02

An allotment is a big commitment and does need a lot of input to get it established. They always seem such a large space to me as well.

Could you grow stuff at home - on window sills? I've grown cress, cut and come again lettuce, baby tomatoes on kitchen window sills.

ProfYaffle · 07/07/2018 13:05

Just talk to the committee or whatever your equivalent is - not keeping them in the loop has been your main mistake. All committees/Councils are different, some are more militant than others, but ours will really help out when people are ill. We've kept plots covered/sprayed when people have been in hospital. Explain what's been going on, ask for a fixed period of time (eg 2 months) to turn things around. Ask for their advice, they may be able to give you tips on how to keep on top of things.

If they don't know, they can't help.

Bluntness100 · 07/07/2018 13:09

The thing is if you appeal and keep it, you then need to get it in order quickly. Then you need to maintain it. And regularly. You'd need to be there at least a couple of times a week for a good while. As soon as it is left neglected again they will take it away.

So I'd really think hard if you're willing to do this. It seems even with a few days to take control you still didn't manage to do it. So I'd think long and hard before going in and making a case to keep it. Because if you succeed you are going to have to put the effort in.

AnotherOriginalUsername · 07/07/2018 13:12

Wave goodbye to the allotment and use the money (I assume you pay to rent this space?) to provide your son with more outdoor time - trips to the beach/zoo/water park/forest etc. without the stress and upkeep

Ta1kinPeace · 07/07/2018 13:22

The waiting lists for allotments are such that I'm afraid I have little sympathy for those who have plots but do not cultivate them.

More and more councils are updating their terms so that eviction can be after three monthly "non cultivation" notices.
Then they are subdividing some plots to allow more people a patch of land

One council I know has 5m x 5m plots which are incredibly popular with families
they charge the same as for a full sized plot
but kids get to grow and pick their own produce so the tenants are happy
and a busy allotment site is a safe allotment site

If you appeal, ask them to give you a 1/4 or 1/8 plot instead - so that committed gardeners can make better use of your space.

SumerisIcumenin · 07/07/2018 14:11

Use the money? I live in a very expensive area, allotments are less than £16 a year. Doesn’t buy much petrol, or many bus tickets. They were originally designed for people on low incomes with no gardens to supplement their food sources. Unusual for a Conservative council, they still want them to be available to low income families.

Ta1kinPeace · 07/07/2018 14:15

Unusual for a Conservative council, they still want them to be available to low income families.
They have no choice. The Allotments Acts limit what they can do

Bluntness100 · 07/07/2018 14:18

Allotment costs vary based on size and location and can go up to about 100 pounds per year. In addition there is more than the cost of simply renting it, there is everything from the plants you put in it, chemicals you may need to use, to tools required. So it's not unreasonable for a poster to say use the money elsewhere.

WhoKnowsWhereTheW1neGoes · 07/07/2018 14:38

Even if you do get allowed to keep it you will have to cultivate it on an ongoing basis, it requires a lot of effort, especially from about March to September. Ours have monthly inspections and a three strikes rule, and it has really succeeded in cutting the waiting lists. They aren't meant to be an outdoor space for children, we would get into trouble if say we gravelled quarter of it and put a patio set on, they are supposed to be mainly used for growing. I know it's hard to give up, but it really doesnt sound as though you are going to be able to manage it, sorry.