Got an allotment, or want an allotment?

Posted on 20/6/09 by Maddy (No comments)

As I secretly aspire to be a bit of a Barbara from The Good Life, I have always loved the idea of an allotment, although I have never had one. My parents have one and my brother and his wife had one until they moved at the beginning of the year. About 2 years ago, I looked into getting one in Sheen, but the Richmond Council website said that the waiting lists were currently closed as they were already too long, so I forgot all about it. However, now I hear that there is hope for all us budding gardeners - the council, having realised that their current system is not necessarily working, is taking new measures to help speed up the process for those people who are waiting/interested.

They set up a task group to look into the long term future of Richmond's allotments and they have come up with a number of new ideas, including:

a probation period for new allotment holders

dividing under-cultivated plots to make them more manageable

stricter controls on people who retain their plots by only clearing them for the annual inspection

a phased retirement scheme allowing allotment holders a chance to divide their plot or trade it for a role in the communal area of the site, if it is becoming to much for them.

Whilst this will almost certainly be popular for people looking to get a plot of land, how is it going to go down with existing allotment holders? Esther, a Sheen allotment holder says: "Providing allotments to bring down the waiting list is needed, but cutting them in half or clearing unused ones will create little extra space, I think. When you walk around the Barnes and Sheen allotments, there are hardly any in neglect, nor are they very big. Here and there people have got large plots but you need quite a large plot in order to live off the land, so to speak or to grow a reasonable variety. I have got about half a tennis court and it's just about right for two adults and a toddler.

Another problem will be all the inspections and how the Council is going to implement these new ideas. There is nothing better than pottering about your allotment growing your own vegtables and doing your own thing, but will you still feel this freedom with the council looking over your shoulders...."

If you are pleased, concerned or would just like to know more the task group are due to report their findings at a meeting on Wednesday 24th June at 7pm at Sheen Lane Centre, 74 Sheen Lane. Exisiting and potential allotment holders are being encouraged to go along and have their say. If you do want to speak, you will need to contact Gary Lelliott at the Council on 020 8891 7275 by 2pm the day before.

And please let us know what your thoughts are!

Got an allotment, or want an allotment?

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Posted by Maddy