Allotments

The situation with vacancies at sites changes constantly so if you are interested in joining the waiting list please send us a message.  You must provide a contact telephone number, your name and address and which site you prefer. Until we have all this information we cannot add you on to the waiting list. If you have no email address, you can contact us on 07923438594

Are There Any Vacant Allotments?   

Please use the contact details at the bottom of this webpage to enquire about vacancies.

We will hold your information on file.  Please contact us if you change address, phone number etc.

Contact details provided will be forwarded to the Association secretaries
 

How Much Does it Cost?   

The cost of renting an allotment from April 2024 to March 2025 is:

• £131 per year for a full plot (250 sq.m.)
• £65.50 per year for a half plot (125 sq.m.)
• There may be an additional cost to allotment associations for insurance, water etc.

Are There Any Discounts?   

Discounts of  up to 50% are available for

• Senior Citizens (State Pension age or above)
• Registered Disabled
• Long Term Unemployed

How to 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.

On our B sites which are managed by an Allotment Association as agents for the council,the rents are paid directly to the Association
 

Where Our Allotments Are     

Below is a list of allotment sites in Tameside - you can click on the town names below to jump straight to the town.

Ashton Allotments | Audenshaw Allotments | Denton Allotments | Droylsden Allotments | Dukinfield Allotments | Hyde Allotments | Longdendale Allotments | Stalybridge Allotments | Mossley Allotments
 

How to Apply for an Allotment      

You can apply for an allotment by clicking on this link: Renting Allotments (tameside.gov.uk)
 
You can apply for up to three allotment sites – we recommend people apply for sites closest to where they live so it’s easy to visit your plot on a regular basis.
 
Please ensure that you provide the correct email address and telephone number when you apply for a plot as these will be our main methods of communication with you.  If you change your phone number or email address then you must let us.  You will miss out on an allotment plot if we don’t have the correct contact information for you.
 
Once you have submitted your application we will update the relevant waiting lists with your details including your date of application.
 

A sites:

When you are near the top of the list we will contact you to check you are interested and when a vacancy arises we will call you and arrange to meet you on site.
 

B sites:

Once you are near the top of the site waiting list we will pass your details on to the site Allotment Secretary and they will contact you when there is a vacancy.  They will arrange to meet you on the site and will show you the plot and you can then decide if you want to take it on. 
 
We understand that people’s circumstances change so if you decide you no longer want to be on the waiting list please let us know.  We will review the waiting list every two years – in this review we email or call everyone who has been on the waiting list for more than one year to check that they are still interested in an allotment plot.  We do this to ensure that everyone on the list is still interested and to ensure we aren’t holding on to data from people who no longer wish to have a plot.
 

What Happens When You are Offered a Plot       

A Sites:

The Allotment Officer will show you the plot which is vacant, on occasion you may have a choice of plots if there is more than one vacant plot.  If you decide on the day that you want the plot you will be given a paper copy of the tenancy Agreement and you can sign it there and then.  We will keep the original and email you a copy of it within 10 days.  We will provide you with a key for the site on receipt of a £20 returnable key deposit.  If you decide you need a few days to think about whether you want a plot that is absolutely fine, and we do advise people to think carefully before they take a plot on.  If you need some time to think about it please let us know your decision and then if you want a plot we can email you the tenancy form and you can return it to us via email.  We will also make arrangements for you to collect a key for the site.  Once you are on the plot we will invoice you for the plot.
 

B Sites:  

The Site Secretary will show you the plot which is vacant, on occasion you may have a choice of plots if there is more than one vacant plot.  If you decide to go ahead and accept a plot The Site Secretary will then make arrangements with you to sign up to their tenancy agreement and they will provide you with a key for the site for a refundable deposit.  If you decide you no longer want an allotment plot at all, or just not one on that site, the Secretary will let us know and we will update the details on the waiting list either removing you from it altogether or removing you from a particular site. 
 
What happens if I get offered a plot and now is not a good time?
We know that sometimes you will have to wait a long time to be offered an allotment plot, particularly on our more popular sites and that in the time between application and being offered a plot your circumstances may change – for example you may have become a carer for someone or had a baby.  If now isn’t the right time for you to have a plot don’t worry – we’d rather that you were realistic about what you can manage.   Just let us know that now isn’t the right time but you’d like to be kept on the list.  We’ll keep you on the waiting list and you just need to let us know when you’re ready to take on a plot and we’ll let you know next time there is a vacancy. 
 

What Happens if you are Offered a Plot and Now is not a Good Time      

We know that sometimes you will have to wait a long time to be offered an allotment plot, particularly on our more popular sites and that in the time between application and being offered a plot your circumstances may change – for example you may have become a carer for someone or had a baby.  If now isn’t the right time for you to have a plot don’t worry – we’d rather that you were realistic about what you can manage.   Just let us know that now isn’t the right time but you’d like to be kept on the list.  We’ll keep you on the waiting list and you just need to let us know when you’re ready to take on a plot and we’ll let you know next time there is a vacancy. 
 
 

How We Inspect Allotment Plots       

A Sites:

The Council will visit the site approximately every 6 weeks to inspect allotment plots between February and October.  The dates for visits will be scheduled at the start of February however they are subject to change due to holidays and other work pressures.  When we visit each site we will walk around and look at all plots.  The date of the visit and condition of each plot will be recorded on the form below.  We will not take pictures of all plots but we will take pictures of plots where informal or formal improvement notices are needed.  The Officer will then email plot holders if they need any form of informal or formal notices.  Where we don’t have an email address for you we will send the letter via post.  Copies of the inspection record will be kept electronically.  Copies of letters issued to plot holders will be kept electronically.
 

B Sites:

The Council will visit the site approximately every 6 weeks to inspect allotment plots between February and October.  The dates for visits will be scheduled at the start of February and we will liaise with the Site Secretary to try to ensure that we visit with them, however dates of visits are subject to change due to holidays and other work pressures.  When we visit each site we will walk around and look at all plots.  The date of the visit and condition of each plot will be recorded on the form below.  We will not take pictures of all plots but we will take pictures of plots where informal or formal improvement notices are needed.  The notices will be issued by the Site Association on behalf of the Association and Council.  Copies of the inspection record will be kept electronically.  Copies of letters issued to plot holders will be kept by the Site Association.
 

What do we look for when we are inspecting allotments?

We expect all allotment plots to be worked to their maximum potential. That is we expect your plot to be fully worked and utilised for the growing of produce – we accept that people may want a little patio table and chair and a few flowers but this should be the minor part of the allotment.  Any greenhouses, sheds and polytunnels should be in use and kept in good condition.  There is a long waiting list for allotment plots and therefore we want to ensure that everyone with a plot is making the best use of it. 
 
When inspecting plots we look at the following:

• The plot should be kept in a clean and tidy condition; and free from rubbish
• All paths should be neatly maintained and free of weeds and rubbish
• Hardcore paths should be weed free without a neglected fringe
• Hedges and fences should be cut and well maintained
• Sheds and greenhouses must be in use and in good condition
• If using greenhouses or polytunnels all the area available is used.
• There should be water butts adjacent to sheds and greenhouses for water conservation
• The plot needs to be free from perennial and annual weeds
• There should be a good level of cultivation across the plot
• The crops grown are clean, healthy crops, free from pest and disease
• That at all of the plot is being used and cultivated

 
We will try and give people notice of our visits at the start of the season however we do sometimes have to amend these and we do not have to give notice when we are visiting sites to make inspections.  The inspection visit is carried out by the Allotments Officer and on B sites it is carried out jointly with representatives of the official Site Committee.  On B sites the tidy up letters will be issued by the Committee on behalf of the Committee and the Council.  The Council will issue final Notice to Quit letters on all sites.
 
 

What happens if my plot is not up to standard?

 
Where a plot is not up to the standards we expect we have a procedure that we follow which involves us letting you know that it is not up to standard and the longer the plot is left the more the warnings escalate. 
 
Whilst this is our standard procedure there are exceptions to it – for example if a plot has been well worked for many years and then suddenly becomes poorly maintained we may contact the plot holder to find out if there are reasons why standards have suddenly dropped.  If there is a legitimate reason such as a stay in hospital then we may opt not to send an improvement notice but to agree a plan of action for the plot. 
 
If you are unable to work your plot for any reason, such as sickness or bereavement you must let your Allotment Association or the Council know as soon as possible so we can discuss your options.  It may be that we can allow you to have a helper on site for a few weeks or it may be that it is more long term and you’d be better giving up your plot and putting your name down on the waiting list when you’ve made a full recovery.
 
If you decide an allotment plot is not for you – and lots of people decide they are too much responsibility and too time consuming - then please let us know by phone or email so we can get it allocated to the next person on the list.  If we have to go through the whole process described below it is time consuming for the Council and it means allotment plots are not being worked so please consider giving up your plot if you aren’t working it.
 
Tidy up letter
These are issued when we first notice that the plot is below standards expected.  We will email you the letter and it gives you 28 days to make improvements to the plot.  If you do not make sufficient improvements to the plot then you will receive a 28 day Improvement Notice.  However if you improve it sufficiently we will not issue any further letters.  However if your allotment plot becomes untidy again we will go straight to the 28 Day Improvement Notice and you will not be sent the ‘tidy up’ letter on future occasions.
 
28 Day Improvement Notice
If your plot has not improved significantly we will issue a 28 Day Improvement Notice. Again we will visit approximately 4 weeks after the letter has been sent.  If when we visit there haven’t been significant improvements then we will issue a 28 Notice To Quit.  If the standard of your allotment plot has improved significantly then no further action will be taken.  Please note that if your allotment plot becomes untidy again we will go straight to the 28 Day Improvement Notice and you will not be sent the ‘tidy up’ letter.
 
28 Day Notice to Quit
If the plot has not improved significantly we will issue a 28 Notice To Quit which means you will have to leave your plot, we will give you 28 days to clear any personal materials off your plot. If you receive a 28 Day Notice to Quit we do not have to refund any portion of your rent.  If you have been evicted from a plot, you will not be able to go back on the waiting list for a Tameside allotment.
 
We have included examples of the letters below but each letter will be tailored to the specific areas in need of improvement.
Tidy up letter
28 Day Improvement Notice
28 Day Notice to Quit
 

Allotment Site General Inspection

 
Each year the Council will undertake a recorded inspection of the general site – this differs from the regular site inspections as it focuses on the communal areas of the allotment site and relates to works which should be undertaken by the Council or Site Association.  The General Inspection will be carried out in the winter months and work will be programmed in using contractors or Council staff.  The work will be prioritised – health and safety work will always take priority.  All work is to be funded through the Allotments budget which is made up from income from allotments.  The general inspections will be recorded on a standard form.  The general inspection will be carried out by the Allotment Officer but they may wish to invite the Association Secretary on B sites.