Читать книгу The Allotment Book - Andi Clevely - Страница 9

How you go about finding an allotment depends to a great extent on where you live, but in the UK you should first contact your local authority because most allotments are council-owned. These allotments may be statutory, in which case they are protected by law, or temporary sites on leased or rented land, where long-term tenancy is not guaranteed. Some sites are privately owned – by churches or public utilities, for example – and the best way to find out how to rent one of these is to ask an existing tenant.

A standard full-size allotment is about 250 sq.m (300 sq.yd), but half, quarter, even one-tenth plots are sometimes offered. You may find a vacant plot to take over straight away, or have to join a waiting list if demand is high and the site full. A tenancy agreement, which usually lasts for a year and is renewable, is signed by you and the owner or owner’s agent (such as a site association) and you will pay rent, which the law says must be reasonable, in advance.

In return you can usually expect safe access to your plot, an easily accessible water supply (its cost often included in the rent), and adequate site security. The site will usually have at least toilet facilities and a communal hut for storage, meetings and the sale of materials. Your plot may also be equipped with a shed, sometimes for extra rent, and permanent paths.

The agreement will explain your rights – to grow vegetables and fruit for personal use, and also possibly to keep hens or rabbits and sometimes other livestock such as pigeons or bees, depending on local bye-laws – and your responsibilities. Chief among these is the duty to maintain the plot in good cultivation, with respect to your neighbours and other plot-holders. There may also be restrictions on using hosepipes, lighting bonfires, creating ponds, planting trees or fencing the plot (especially with dangerous materials like barbed wire). You are normally not permitted to sublet or use the plot as a business.