should plot holders have more than 1 plot?

[maggienetball]

We're coming up to our AGM on the allotments and I have added a new item to the agenda.

Should plot holders (that currently only have 1 plot) be allowed to request/go on the waiting list for another?

The problem I have (I manage the waiting list) is that there seems to be a long wait for allotments in Torbay (about 3 years I'm told) and our allotment association doesn't advertise and therefore doesn't get a very big waiting list. Most people get allocated within 6 months to a year.

Now, however, what with the advent of our website, my promotion of our sites and links to other groups, we have a growing waiting list. I have had numerous requests from existing holders for additional plots, but should they get 2 when someone else is getting none?

A few old hands on our site have 2 plots, and 1 person has 3. All have had them for over 5 years and manage them well.

I'd be interested in what people think and will take the opinion results to the AGM when presenting the case before the vote.

[Hawthorn]

I think they should only get two plots if there isn't a waiting list for people for their first, if that makes sense :)

[ina]

Could you maybe make a distinction between "single" applicants and those with a family? Naturally, a family would need more space to grow enough for all of them... In that case several members of the family could apply separately.

[Karen_D]

I think everyone, existing or new, should be added to the list in chronological order and offered plots as they come up.

[Merry]

I read somewhere that Allotment law states that 4 plots is the maximum that should be held - assuming that the average plot is 300sq yds.
Having said that, we have people with 5 or 6 plots on our site, and a waiting list of 15. Trouble is, they took the plots and tended them when the site was half empty.
I also know that we have people on our waiting list who already have plots on neighbouring sites - but we have better amenities, water, toilets, good security etc. and our rent is lower.

[Andy Hamilton]

Tricky one really, my gut feeling is to say that no one needs more than one plot and it seems a little greedy if there are people waiting. However, it is better to have one person managing 2,3 or 4 plots well and using all the food that is produced than having 2 or 3 people struggling with their plots.

On our allotments everyone has a whole plot or a half plot each apart from the allotment rep who has 2 plots. He manages these well and has had them for years. In fact I think he took them on when the rest of the plot was derelict so I say fair play to him!

[2pig2sheep1cow]

i think that if you have one and there is no waiting list then fair enough but if there is then it should go to the person who is on the waiting list.if that makes sense.

[Sky]

I think the same, folk who have none should be able to have an allotment before the folk who already have one on the go.

[Gytrash]

Yup! I would say that plots should be offered to new people on the waiting list before being offered to existing plot-holders.
Unless the allotment has more empty plots than people on the list - in which case I think it's preferable to have the land cultivated, even if it means some folks having more than one plot.

There's one retired guy on our allotments that has four plots at a time. He grows vegetables and I think he sells them to local shops to supplement his pension. The Committee let him get on with it because he takes on hideously overgrown jungle areas, and transforms them into workable plots. Occasionally, he'll pass one of his 'easy' plots back into the 'vacant' list, and move onto another jungle! Seems to work quite well.

[Millymollymandy]

I think it is completely unfair for anyone to have more than one plot when there is a waiting list.

Only if there is no waiting list, should anyone be allowed a 2nd plot.

[Dori]

I think it is completely unfair for anyone to have more than one plot when there is a waiting list.

Only if there is no waiting list, should anyone be allowed a 2nd plot.

That sounds fair to me as well...

[hamster]

Yep, I also agree with the general consensus.

[Cheezy]

tricky, especially as we've just put our name down for a second plot.

But MOH has it as her name rather than the one I've got under mine.(we were told to do this!) Reasons...we want to grow more varied stuff, and become ssish all year round, and the current plot wont do that as I can't get enough tatties and onions in with my raised bed system.
Second reason we're at the edge of the allotments, which are owned by the cemetry, and there is speculation that the cemetry will need some more land in 5 years and ours will be in the next swathe they take back.
Which if it happens will totally piss me off after all the hard work, but at least if we have a second one we'll be covered.
There are 44 people on the waiting list, we will not take a plot which is in the same edge as the current one as this will be pointless.


Edit
This is irrelavent to the argument about whether or not you should have two plots in an over subscribed allotment, but some people may wonder how much veg we need by going for the second plot. I should point out our plots are either half "standard or quarter standard allotments. ours is 10 x 10 m. Which is why we can't get enough staples for the year, plus the "exotics we want to grow

[Bluemoon]

We took on two plots about four and a half years ago when there were no such things as waiting lists in our area and the site was 60 - 70% derelict. Having spent the past four years clearing them (both were a complete mess) I'd be very loathe to give one up, especially as there's no guarantee that whoever took it on would last more than a few weeks. There is now a waiting list and I certainly wouldn't take on another one. We do have two further plots, but these are on a very unpopular site which slopes to such an extent that extensive terracing is the only possible solution. One of these we use for the chickens and one is tiny and would be of little use to anyone and we use this for the herbs. This site still has only about 30 - 40% occupancy, with no sign of anything changing, even though I personally have tried to promote the fact that there are vacant plots. If it became policy that no-one could have more than one, then I'd move the chickens and herbs to the good, fruit and veg, plots rather than the other way around and I know for a fact that no-one currently on the good site's list will consider a plot on the poor site as I've sent the hopefuls who trudge around it every weekend down for a look, even meeting them there with the key. Of several people who have looked only one has actually said that he'd be prepared to take one - a 16 year old lad who's making an amazing job of it with a little help from his grandad. But generally speaking people are not interested in the hard graft and sometimes novel solutions which have to be used for a less than perfect plot and would rather sit it out on a waiting list.

I suppose 4 plots is rather OTT, but we are almost completely self sufficient now and can even supply our daughter and her young family, and my mother with fruit, veg and eggs. The only things I have to buy are milk, cheese, bread-flour and cooking oil, plus the occasional Sunday joint which we buy from the local farmers' market - we try to be largely veggie, but have the odd lapse. Both sites where we have plots are within walking distance so we are not using fuel, our bin is only emptied every 4 - 6 weeks (and even then it's usually far from full) as my only 'packaging' is a rather lovely hand woven trug. Without my lotties I'd be making a far bigger impact on the environment and, living as we do, I have the time to do things in a more traditional way so don't need loads of 'labour saving' appliances. Our allotments have allowed us to live in as sustainable way as possible within sight of a large city centre, without them it would be impossible. If the trend for allotments continues though, and waiting lists grow to the point where very few people are being offered one then I'd consider giving a couple of them up. At the moment the list at our site is usually about 15 people long, but they seem to be offered one usually within 9 - 12 months, turnover is high, and it's the same plots that are coming available over and over again. But I also feel that if demand continues to grow then it's as much the council's duty to think about providing new sites and evicting those from existing ones who visit for a few weeks then are never seen again, as it is mine to think about reducing the number of my plots.

[grahoom]

the allotment I just (last week) got my plot on had 3 plots spare, and no waiting list. They also have work parties - people who have plots on the allotment, who clear up and reclaim any plots that are needed to be sorted to be leased out to people; there are people with multiple plots - which I think is fair enough, and the allotment also has areas that are communally run, so that a big group is working the plot. - ofcourse none of this gives my opinion on multiple plots.

if people have a plot already, then they should go onto the waiting list for a second plot. or something like that.