"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"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.


Standard size for an allotment is 10 sq Rods (Poles or Perches) and as a
Rod
is 5.5 Yards then it's 302.5 sq yards. Say 27ft by 100ft plus paths
approx.
You also get half or even quarter plots sometimes, and with some unusual
shaped sites anything goes. Charges are by the Sq Rod and ours are
expensive
at £7+ per sq Rod, the normal type of charge is £ 2 per sq Rod.
There are no fences between plots only small paths which are the
plotholders
responsibility and these are actually included in the plot size with the
minimum width laid down.
We have access to water but no power and we get nothing else for our
money.

Please remember plotholders want some guarantee of tenure as some crops
take
years to become useful, especially soft fruit and asparagus. You will also
need to make rules regarding structures on the plots (shanty town) and
manure/compost (smells) and cultivation requirements (weeds etc) and junk
(fly tipping rubbish from home).



I have read down all the answers so far and this is the first one to mention
'length of time' for the holders. Had you thought of this? What happens if
you want the land back in 'x' years? What happens if you sell your bit of
land especially if it is part of your house's land? and here is another
thought, what are your 'liabilities' with regard to your house and 'renting
out' the land? Are you allowed to? Is it in your deeds that you are not
allowed to?

Don't want to be a damp squib but these are things in the background which
no one has mentioned and I had quite a bit of hassle when I sold off half an
acre for building :-((

Good luck and I know the allotment holders will appreciate it if ou do go
ahead with it.