Guide to setting up an Allotment Smallholding
Please note: this information paper is a guide only - if in doubt, please contact the relevant person or body set out in this paper and/or seek independent legal advice.
Are you in search of the Good Life? Do you fancy yourselves as the next Barbara and Tom? If you’ve always dreamed about creating your own working allotment or smallholding but not known where to start, then pop the kettle on, dig out your old jumpers, grow a beard (not essential) and take a moment to contemplate what’s actually involved.
Having an allotment can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have, including a sense of being truly in tune with nature, living with the seasons and working with the rhythms of each day. Get it right, and the results will be sweeter and richer than you’ve ever imagined, and produce will look different, taste like it’s supposed to and be packed full of more nutrients than many you can buy.
So here are a few things to consider when setting up your own allotment:
How do I get one?
Contact your local Council, who’ll be able to let you know about available plots in your area. For example, the Bristol City Council website has a comprehensive list of allotment sites across the city, and even indicates which sites have vacant plots. The most popular sites have long waiting lists but if you are determined to get 'hands on', talk to some of the current allotment holders to see if anyone needs an extra pair of hands.
Every allotment site has a Site Rep – usually a volunteer – who acts as a point of contact between allotment holders, the community and the Council. They may be able to give you an idea of the turnover of plots and how long your wait is likely to be.
Bristol City Council has a Beginner’s Guide to Allotments, as well as information on Allotment Associations and related organisations (www.bristol.gov.uk). Your council may well have the same information available.
Am I entitled to an allotment?
Under the 1908 Small Holdings and Allotments Act, ("Act") where there is "demand" (to be determined by each respective Council), it is the duty of the local authority to provide residents, registered on the electoral roll, with allotment space. The Act even gives local authorities the power to compulsorily acquire land for allotments, if they don’t have sufficient already.
The National Society for Allotments and Leisure Gardens (NSALG) is the largest and longest established organisation promoting allotments in England and Wales, and it’s the only such organisation with which the Government liaises on the subject. The NSALG argues that 'demand' is defined in the act as six registered residents, living within the local authority area. The NSALG argues that if six qualifying residents get together and write to their council requesting allotment space, then the council is bound to consider such application providing the applicant residents fulfil all criteria set out inthe Act. The eligibility requirements (as set out in the Act) and processes are relatively simple, however if in doubt please contact your local Council, the NSALG, and/or seek independent legal advice.
As always, there are exceptions. The Act covers England and Wales - but not Scotland, and a later law made inner city London exempt. Having said that, the Greater London Authority has a website to help people find their nearest plots in the city.
For guidance on getting an allotment in your area -
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National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG): www.nsalg.org.uk
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Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society: www.sags.org.uk
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National Allotment Gardens Trust (NAGT): www.nagtrust.org
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Allotments Regeneration Initiative (ARI): www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari
For factsheets covering a wide range of subjects of interest to new and established gardeners, including health and safety, installing toilets on allotment sites and fundraising. You'll also find a link to download 'Allotments: A Plotholder’s Guide'.
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www.london.gov.uk/allotments
How accessible is your chosen allotment?
When starting off, it’s better to have a small plot of land that’s in your neighbourhood, rather than an ambitious plot in a distant corner of the city. Like all great ideas, that bracing bike ride across town might seem like a great idea at the outset, but will it seem as appealing as the months go by? And, looking on the positive side, how are you going to carry home your abundant produce?
How much does an allotment cost?
Your local Council’s website will give you a guide to what your plot will cost, but on the whole, allotments are a bargain. For example in Bristol, the price of a year’s lease for a small plot from September 2008 could be as little as £10.50 and ranges up to £63 for larger 'chalet' plots. There is a 50% discount for concessions, and if you’re brave enough to take on a wildly overgrown plot of land you’ll be entitled to 50% off!
Most sites have running water, but if you are the ambitious type and choose one that doesn’t, you may be entitled to a 25% reduction of fee. However, if you’re pulling up armfuls of fresh veg within your first year and not relying on supermarket produce, you will soon find that your allotment has paid for itself in no time.
If I take on a wildly overgrown piece of land, can I get stuck in and clear the lot of it?
In a word, no. There are several key things to consider, and in some cases it’s illegal to ignore these ground rules.
First of all, what looks like a daunting sea of impenetrable brambles to you, is undoubtedly home to an abundance of wildlife, especially birds. The ideal time to clear brambles is in the very late Autumn/Winter, when the nesting season is over and it’s easier to identify nests and signs of wildlife.
If clearing a plot in the Springtime, you should meticulously check each area for nests before you wade in there with loppers and clippers, and only clear brambles that you can see right through, avoiding all of the thickest growth altogether. Knowingly disturbing or destroying birds’ nests is illegal and you will be fined.
If you want to be absolutely sure, ask your Council to recommend an ecologist who will be able to advise you on the safest way to clear your land. You may be sharing your plot with badgers, slow worms, foxes, birds, amongst others and it’s vital to make sure they are protected. After all, they were there first...
Can I grow whatever I want?
Pretty much. This is your chance to take over the earth, but as you embark on creating your own gardeners’ world, ask yourself: what’s the point of your allotment?
Before you sow, think about what you’d actually like to be reaping in the coming months. Work with the seasons, keep it simple to start with, and think about growing a variety of produce. How do you view your allotment? Are you looking to reap the crops you sow, or are you looking to create an oasis of colourful flowers, a place of beauty in which to escape and contemplate? If all this seems rather daunting and you think you need some guidance, why not try one of our gardening courses at River Cottage HQ such as the River Cottage urban kitchen garden, to get you started.
Can I blag any freebies to get me started?
Some of the more generous seed suppliers may offer you samples as an incentive and you can always look into joining your local Seed Exchange - a swap shop for seeds, seedlings and invaluable know-how between allotment keepers. Here are a few seed swap links:
At River Cottage we are starting our own seed project as part of our membership package. For more details on this click here.
Growing from seeds is the cheapest option by far, so invest in, or better still construct, a propagation haven on your windowsill and you’ll be amazed at what comes through in a matter of weeks.
In terms of materials, skips and builders merchants’ cast offs can provide some rich pickings when it comes to sourcing wood, materials, pallets, planks and stakes from which to make your raised beds and compost bins. Use the roof of your shed, some drainage pipes, old tarpaulins, old containers and a dose of ingenuity and you’ve got a bespoke water harnessing system for your allotment. Take one old metal flue, a pile of bricks and an old baking rack and you’ve got a brilliant allotment stove! www.freecycle.org
Don’t count your chickens…
...Until you’ve checked with the Council whether you’re allowed to keep them. On the whole, chickens are fine, but installing a lively cockerel into your neighbourhood is not be the best way to make new friends, and more to the point, is also not allowed by most councils.
Talk to someone who knows about keeping poultry, as you want to be sure you’re creating the right environment for your birds and are taking into account any welfare and security matters that might come up. You might also like to consider our "All about Chickens" course at River Cottage HQ. A one day course where you will learn all about rearing, buying, keeping and eating your own chickens.
Can I really become a small holder in a city?
Generally, with the Council’s permission, you can keep chickens, rabbits and bees on your allotment - but if you really fancy yourself as a smallholder, then why not go the whole hog and get pigs?
You’ll need to obtain a site holding number and contact DEFRA regarding your plans, so talk to people who have gone through the process before. City farms can be a great point of reference.
Not every allotment site will allow you to keep animals, and your Council’s Parks and Allotments and Smallholding teams may also be able to let you know which animals can be kept on your plot of choice. It’s a good idea to check the quality of the ground for contamination levels, evidence of toxic waste and whether the land has been used as dumping ground in the past.
You could ask a vet to check over the ground and ascertain it’s suitability for keeping animals and to be doubly sure, you could employ an ecologist who can point out certain plants (such as digitalis, and certain ivy plants) that are poisonous to pigs. To find a vet in your area consult www.rcvs.org.uk
Do I get a complimentary shed?
Sadly, that’s a myth. Allotment tenants are allowed to install a shed, which can be a useful place to store tools, as well as welcome shelter for those long wet English summers and essential tea-brewing facilities.
Sheds should be no more than 6 x 4ft and tastefully and purposefully built. But for those who like to live as close to the land as is earthly possible, the bad news is that (much as you’d like to), you’re not actually allowed to live in your shed…
For inspiration, take a look at this slideshow from The Telegraph!
And what happens when nature calls…?
For the very lucky few, there will be a loo on site. If you’re too shy to tap into the benefits of 'watering' your own crops with nature’s own nitrate-rich, home-made fertilisers (as it were), then when it comes to waste management it’s time to get creative.
Necessity is the mother of invention – and allotment tenants before you have also felt the urge to come up with a solution. Introducing the latest word in allotment accessories: the Compost Toilet.
From the outside it might look like an old shed on stilts, but inside it’s a hot pot of ingenuity, and the designs and imagination of some people’s out-houses are pretty impressive. Again, you’ll need to submit a design plan to the Council and seek permission to erect a shed.
Before you poo poo the idea, it’s worth mentioning that compost loos don’t actually smell. On the contrary, they provide a few moments to contemplate your plot, scribble down a few notes on your planting schedule, and most of all, they take recycling to a whole new level as you are providing your fellow allotment tenants with the richest of composts, ready to be spread right back on your plot (just make sure you wash your veg well).
Don’t lose the plot!
Taking on an allotment is a commitment you need to consider carefully. Work out how much time and money you have to spend, and what other resources you may need.
What might seem a good idea at the time could turn out to be more than you bargained for. If you allow your plot to become overgrown, or even abandon it altogether, you could risk losing the plot altogether, and that’s not something we’d want you to do.
Some useful links
www.soilassociation.org
http://permaculture.org.uk
http://transitiontowns.org