Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent out the
half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't have them here Im
interested to know a little about them from yourselves please. For example,
what is the average size of an allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have
access to water and power? What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What is
used to divide your allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can
think of. As said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with the
amount of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens I
think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines of four
in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your imput.

Thanks as always
Shannie

Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent out the
half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't have them here Im
interested to know a little about them from yourselves please. For example,
what is the average size of an allotment (yards/feet please)

I'm looking into allotments as I'm looking to have one myself. I don't know
much about them, but I do know that some are 9 metres by 35 metres. This size
is based on the size of strips of land used in medieval times for strip
farming, though I don't know whether all allotments are this size, or just some
allotments.

Probably not much help.

Dave.

shannie wrote:
: Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent
: out the half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't
: have them here Im interested to know a little about them from
: yourselves please. For example, what is the average size of an
: allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have access to water and power?
: What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What is used to divide your
: allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can think of. As
: said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with the amount
: of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens I
: think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines
: of four in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your
: imput.
:
: Thanks as always
: Shannie

There is a standard size which someone else will tell you but ours in
Plymouth are all different sizes. We have water and perimeter fencing which
is padlocked. Everyone has a key, plotholders that is. The plots are divided
by paths which in our case are just grass, others are lucky to have concrete
paths. The water is charged in addition to the rent as the water meter
charge is divided between the plotholders and is obviously different each
half year. Hope that helps

Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk

In article , The Devil's Advocate
writes

There is a standard size which someone else will tell you but ours in
Plymouth are all different sizes. We have water and perimeter fencing which
is padlocked. Everyone has a key, plotholders that is. The plots are divided
by paths which in our case are just grass, others are lucky to have concrete
paths. The water is charged in addition to the rent as the water meter
charge is divided between the plotholders and is obviously different each
half year. Hope that helps

Ours in Sevenoaks didn't have water, though if you can lay on water that
would make them far more attractive.

Ours didn't have perimeter fencing either - crime rate in Ireland is a
lot lower, so you may not need it.

I wouldn't have though you needed power.

Decide what you want to do about sheds. Allotment holders traditionally
are very creative when it comes to erecting sheds from old doors etc ;-)

Some allotments say 'no flowers' but that seems a ridiculous restriction
in this day and age. What will be your line on planting permanent things
- fruit trees and bushes etc? OK, but to be left on the allotment? OK
but take them with you when you go? And what will be your line on
standards - will you require people to keep their plots in good order?
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"shannie" wrote in message
...
Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent out
the
half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't have them here
Im
interested to know a little about them from yourselves please. For
example,
what is the average size of an allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have
access to water and power? What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What
is
used to divide your allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can
think of. As said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with
the
amount of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens
I
think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines of
four
in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your imput.

Thanks as always
Shannie

Where are you intending to rent land. I live in Northern Ireland and would
be very interested in renting if it was close enough to my house.

"The Devil's Advocate" wrote in
message ...
shannie wrote:
: Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent
: out the half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't
: have them here Im interested to know a little about them from
: yourselves please. For example, what is the average size of an
: allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have access to water and power?
: What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What is used to divide your
: allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can think of. As
: said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with the amount
: of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens I
: think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines
: of four in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your
: imput.
:
: Thanks as always
: Shannie

There is a standard size which someone else will tell you but ours in
Plymouth are all different sizes. We have water and perimeter fencing
which
is padlocked. Everyone has a key, plotholders that is. The plots are
divided
by paths which in our case are just grass, others are lucky to have
concrete
paths. The water is charged in addition to the rent as the water meter
charge is divided between the plotholders and is obviously different each
half year. Hope that helps

Robert The Devil's Advocate www.pafc.co.uk

Great start Thanks

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

Ours in Sevenoaks didn't have water, though if you can lay on water that
would make them far more attractive.

Can do, It comes from a well and is free apart from the cost of leccy needed
to run the pump...which could be taken into account when working out the
rent.

Ours didn't have perimeter fencing either - crime rate in Ireland is a
lot lower, so you may not need it.

It's certainly low around here, the entire garden is surounded by high
ditches, but some kind of fencing around each plot Im sure would be ok.

I wouldn't have though you needed power.

A bonus

Decide what you want to do about sheds. Allotment holders traditionally
are very creative when it comes to erecting sheds from old doors etc ;-)

No problem as long as they don't throw shade on someone elses plot/use it to
live there they can put up whatever suits them I may even consider
putting in sheds myself, would have to look at the cost.

Some allotments say 'no flowers' but that seems a ridiculous restriction
in this day and age. What will be your line on planting permanent things
- fruit trees and bushes etc? OK, but to be left on the allotment? OK
but take them with you when you go?

Fruit bushes are fine, not sure about trees, the plots wouldn't be enormous,
Im not sure the trees would be a good idea, but we could come to some
arrangement once we know what it is they want. As to the flowers, the more
the merrier, if they just want a plot full of flowers that's fine

And what will be your line on
standards - will you require people to keep their plots in good order?

Yes, definately, for the comfort and enjoyment of others using the plots I
think it would be essential that the plots are cared for properly. Im not
averse to being a little lazy once in a while myself but a little common
sense would make everyones life more enjoyable.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

shannie wrote in message
...
Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent out
the
half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't have them here
Im
interested to know a little about them from yourselves please. For
example,
what is the average size of an allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have
access to water and power? What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What
is
used to divide your allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can
think of. As said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with
the
amount of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens
I
think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines of
four
in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your imput.

Thanks as always
Shannie


Rents here in Yorkshire are as follows (council):
200m sq £9.80 + £7.80 water
300m sq £14.00 + £12.30 water
400m sq £18.00 + £18.00 water

No electricity. Each allotment is enclosed with a padlock on the main gate
to allotment area. Sheds etc need planning permission, fruit trees are
allowed. When you leave, everything you leave behind including buildings
become council property. If an allotment has buildings, it's the same rent
as those that don't. In practice, the council don't care what state your
allotment is in as long as you pay the rent.

"JK" wrote in message
...


Where are you intending to rent land. I live in Northern Ireland and
would
be very interested in renting if it was close enough to my house.

Oh dear, Im sorry Jason, Im in the midlands, Kilkenny/Laois. A bit of a trip
for weeding Im afraid
Perhaps an add in your local freeadds paper might find you something, Im
sure there are hundreds of plots of land lying idle just waiting for someone
to come and use them, the owners just haven't realised yet.
Good luck with finding something.
Shannie

shannie wrote:


Having spent six hours today on grasscutting I have decided to rent out the
half acre of land I don't use for allotments. As we don't have them here Im
interested to know a little about them from yourselves please. For example,
what is the average size of an allotment (yards/feet please) Do you have
access to water and power? What is the average yearly/monthly rent. What is
used to divide your allotments?..ie fencing etc and anything else you can
think of. As said, allotments are not the norm here in Ireland but with the
amount of new housing being built in the towns with postage stamp gardens I
think I may be able to make a go of it, Im thinking along the lines of four
in the half acre....too many??..too few?? Would love your imput.

Poles.. A full size plot is ususally 9 poles..

Some people rent a half or quarter plot.. Plots are numbered so when
divided become a, b, c, etc.. eg 102a, 102b, etc..

Ave rent = 25 - 30 / annum inc water. Paths divide the allotments and
are to be kept clear.. Fences and barriers between plots are not
permitted (according to the agreement). There is a 3 month 'probation'
prior to signature of the contract. Notice of non-cultivation is issued
after inspections (3 - 6 monthly) if no significant changes are made
then an eviction notice may be served.

Our trading shed offers discounted supplies via the hort/allotments
soc..

You may find http://www.rhs.org.uk and http://www.nsalg.demon.co.uk/
useful.

http://www.chadahs.org.uk for more information on our site..

Site is self managed by a comittee but council are responsible for
security (Ha ha) and a number of other things)
//
Jim

In article , shannie
writes





"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

Ours didn't have perimeter fencing either - crime rate in Ireland is a
lot lower, so you may not need it.

It's certainly low around here, the entire garden is surounded by high
ditches, but some kind of fencing around each plot Im sure would be ok.

Certainly no need for that. Allotments here are generally separated by
no more than a path, usually grass, about 30 inches wide. Fencing would
take away from the useable space, and also make it a lot less pally -
you'd be separated from your fellow allotmenteers by a fence :-(

I wouldn't have though you needed power.

A bonus

A nightmare! Do you have a coin in the slot meter so the one who is
using it atm pays, or do you share the bill out between everyone, with
all the scope for argument that gives?


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Jim W" wrote in message
news:1g0ctxy.f201m51ua7gaoN%00senetnospamtodayta@m acunlimited.net...

Our trading shed offers discounted supplies via the hort/allotments
soc..

For the allotment societies or other groups who don't already know - some suppliers, I'm thinking of Marshalls in
particular give very good discounts for orders from such groups. It gets very worthwhile if the order gets into 3
figures as it easily can with seed potatoes, onion sets, seeds, fertilisers etc. What's more if you use that
service you get a different number to ring and get to speak to a real person quicker :~))

For reasons I don't understand, they seem to think I'm an allotment society (well I do buy quite a lot) so I enjoy
that service.

Rod

Rod wrote:

"Jim W" wrote in message
news:1g0ctxy.f201m51ua7gaoN%00senetnospamtodayta@m acunlimited.net...

Our trading shed offers discounted supplies via the hort/allotments
soc..

For the allotment societies or other groups who don't already know - some
suppliers, I'm thinking of Marshalls in particular give very good
discounts for orders from such groups. It gets very worthwhile if the
order gets into 3 figures as it easily can with seed potatoes, onion sets,
seeds, fertilisers etc. What's more if you use that service you get a
different number to ring and get to speak to a real person quicker :~))

For reasons I don't understand, they seem to think I'm an allotment
society (well I do buy quite a lot) so I enjoy that service.

Rod

LOL..

Yes our shed gets its seeds from Marshalls.. They do a Sale or Return
service as well which is great!-)
//
Jim

The message
from "shannie" contains these words:

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

if you can lay on water that
would make them far more attractive.

Can do, It comes from a well and is free apart from the cost of leccy needed
to run the pump...which could be taken into account when working out the
rent.

Depending on the capacity of your private water system, there's a risk
that a hosepipe left running could deprive you of your own domestic
supply.(Have had this happen to us).

I may even consider
putting in sheds myself, would have to look at the cost.

And the return; how much rent do you envisage people will pay ?

You might also need to find out whether your domestic public liability
insurance covers paying tenants.

Janet.

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , shannie
writes





"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...

Ours didn't have perimeter fencing either - crime rate in Ireland is a
lot lower, so you may not need it.

It's certainly low around here, the entire garden is surounded by high
ditches, but some kind of fencing around each plot Im sure would be ok.

Certainly no need for that. Allotments here are generally separated by
no more than a path, usually grass, about 30 inches wide. Fencing would
take away from the useable space, and also make it a lot less pally -
you'd be separated from your fellow allotmenteers by a fence :-(

Thats better still No dividing fences so

I wouldn't have though you needed power.

A bonus

A nightmare! Do you have a coin in the slot meter so the one who is
using it atm pays, or do you share the bill out between everyone, with
all the scope for argument that gives?

Sorry Kay, what I meant was, it'd be a bonus not to have to get power put
in down there, that would be expensive to say the least.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm