Proportion of untended allotments on your site?

[JohnMac]

With a waiting list of 60 on a site of 250 plots, our allotment association is pushing the Town Council to enforce the tenancy agreement regarding tending a lot. Currently we have 43 plots where less than 25% of the plot is being used to grow vegetables... The TC are now serving notices and offering plots.

So our current ratio of untended plots is 17%. Sounds far too high, but is a target of less than 5% realistic? What's the ratio on your site?

Thanks, John

[Alison_Kristina]

less than 25% of the plot is being used to grow vegetables

Out of interest, what's the other 75% used for?

Although I know nothing about allotments, it makes sense to me to enforce the tenancy agreement, especially with such a long waiting list.

Ali.

[JohnMac]

The other 75% is used for growing produce... I've counted as ok if at least 25% of the plot is producing veg or fruit.

The 'untended' plots are ones under-utilised, vacant or where the tenant has been served notice.

[bantiekeeper]

Hi John, Our Council Allotment rules state that between March and September 50% of a plot must be under cultivation. The monthly inspections previously carried out by the council are now undertaken by our allotment association. There are two non cultivation notice levels and a final notice to quit available to us. We attach any relevant photographs of plots where necessary with the reports. Our report is of course only recommendations. The Council has the final decision. We have just carried out our third inspection and the system seems to be working quite well.

[GMB27]

Its such a shame when theres so many people waiting on lists that really want to make a go of growing on allotments, there seems to be so much unused and empty space around the area i live and yet at least a third of the plots at the nearby allotment have nothing going on in them.

[PrincessJelly]

Our allotments (Binfield, Berks) have a six year waiting list if you join now. There are 30 plots, most divided into smaller plots of 1/2 or a 1/3. All plots are cultivated, there aren't any that are not being tended to. I think mine is the worst, as I haven't had it two months yet and it had not been touched since last year. I am getting there though!

[claire2965]

i would just like to say it iame that people who have the said allotment who are finding it difficult could approach people who want an allotment for help on their plot so then the waiting list may go down. only a suggestion