Renting Allotments
Renting an Allotment
Review of Allotments
Allotments are an increasingly popular way to exercise and eat healthily by growing your own vegetables. The Council has over 700 allotment plots across Tameside. All plots are full at present and waiting lists are getting longer. In consultation with the Allotment Federation the Council has been looking at how the allotments are run and how we can improve things for plot holders and for the environment and make allotments fairer.
Here are some of the main changes to be phased in over the next 2 years:
- Letting plots - in future the Council will be responsible for allocating individual plots. This means there will be a central waiting list and we will be able to ensure that plots are allocated in the same way across the Borough.
- Water charges – water supplies to allotment fields are metered but water consumption is so high that the Council spends more on water charges to allotments than it receives in rental income! There’s no incentive for allotment holders and allotment associations to help the environment and save water resources – which can sometimes be scarce even in Tameside as we’ve seen from this year’s hosepipe ban. With effect form 1 April 2012 each allotment association will pay the water bill. You will be required to pay a share of the water charges to the allotment association. This is reflected in the new allotment agreement.
- Investment in allotment fields – at present the Council doesn’t have the money to invest in improvements to the allotment fields and money will be even more scarce in future. Allotment rents currently cost a maximum of 88p per week (full plot with no discount) and as cheap as 22p per week for a half plot with 50% discount. In April 2012 the rent will increase to £80 per year (or £40 for half plots) – rising to £100 (or £50 for half plots) in April 2013. Concessions of 50% for tenants over the age of 60, registered disabled and long term unemployed will be retained although the Council will be giving further consideration to these from April 2012 onwards. A full plot rent will still be less than £2 per week or, put another way less than a bag of potatoes. The Council has pledged that all rent paid by allotment holders will be spent on long awaited improvements to allotment fields.
- We will also be asking allotment associations to be taking tougher measures to ensure that people who are lucky enough have allotments do use them so that unused plots can be passed to people on the waiting list.
- We have taken the opportunity to modernise the terms and conditions of the agreements generally.
- The changes will mean that everyone has to enter into new tenancy agreements. This means that it will be necessary to terminate all current tenancy agreements and replace them with a new agreement which comes into force from 1 April 2012.
All existing plot holders have been notified in writing of these changes and provided they complete and return their signed copy of the new Agreement they will be able to continue to use their current allotment, just as they do now, although they will need to keep to the revised conditions set out in the new Agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?- Are there any discounts?
- How do I make a payment?
- Where are your allotments?
- Are there any vacant plots?
How much does it cost?
The cost of renting an allotment is:-
- £46.00 per year for a full plot (250 sq.m.).
- £23.00 per year for a half plot (125 sq.m.)
In April 2012 the rent will increase to £80 per year (£40 for a half plot) rising to £100 in April 2013 (£50 for half a plot).
Are there any discounts?
Discounts of up to 50% are available for
- Senior Citizens,
- Registered Disabled,
- Long Term Unemployed.
How do I make a payment?
If you have your invoice number you can pay on-line with a credit/debit card.
Make sure that you select your Type of Payment as 'Debtors' - and fill your invoice number in the box asking for your 'Customer Reference Number'.
You can also pay by cheque at any of our In Touch Customer Service Centres.
Where are your allotments?
Below is a list of allotment sites for hire in Tameside - you can click on the town names below to jump straight to the town.
Are there any vacant plots?
Please use the online allotment enquiry form for information regarding vacancies.
Audenshaw Allotments | Denton Allotments | Droylsden Allotments | Dukinfield Allotments | Hyde Allotments | Longdendale Allotments | Stalybridge Allotments | Mossley Allotments
0161 342 3055| Contact Information | |
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 Send us a Message |
 Parks and Land Management Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne OL6 6DL |
 0161 342 3055
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 0161 342 4149
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