The site is pretty well full, as are most in Wandsworth. The council tell
all applicants there is a two to three year waiting list though this hasd
come down in the last couple of years as they have becoem strciter with the
non-cultivation orders for people not using the plots.

Plots are also a lot smaller than most. Mine is probably on of the biggest
on the site at about 72 sq yds but with the demand being so high, more
people with less space is a better alternative for the council.

£78 is steep, but it's cheaper than a gym membership and you get the
wonderufl benefit of the fresh fruit and veg. I probably make it up from
the savings in make on onions and spuds alone.

"Chris Norton" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 23 May 2003 14:32:08 +0100, "John Pearce"
wrote:

Most expensive so far..... £78 for 6 rods (72 sq. yds.) in Wandsworth,
London.

Nice though as it backs onto Wimbledon Common.

John


Has to be the land price that the council value the land at.

Could you also tell us if your site is full as this may well have a
bearing on the value put on the land too.

I think out of the 6 sites here in Boston only 1 of them is full. Our
site is only about half full and we have 46 plots on it all of the
same 10x30m size.

We also got it rent free for 6 months to encourage us to take it on.

Personally, I think alot has to do with the surrounding area. We live
in a VERY rural area where agriculture is the real name of the game
with most people making a living within the food production industry.
Maybe people just dont want to get home and then go weeding their own
plot when they have had a hoe in the hand all day.

We also have quite big gardens round here so a lot of people could and
do have veggie plots in them. Dont know if this is a factor either.

Offered my sister a bit of the allotment but she was happy with the 30
sq m she has at the back of mum and dads. She seems to grow huge
amounts there.

Have to say that 78 quid does seem a bit steep for some land that the
councils are required to provide by law but then I still think it`s
really not THAT much a price for the enjoyment of your own
fruit/veg/flowers.

"John wrote in message
Most expensive so far..... £78 for 6 rods (72 sq. yds.) in Wandsworth,
London.

Nice though as it backs onto Wimbledon Common.

That price, like ours, is well above the average of about £20. so why do
they charge so much? Runnymede value all allotments land in the borough at
£300K but as building land it would be that in tens of millions and I'm
convinced ours rents are so high as a discouragement. There are lots of free
plots in our Borough and our site is nearly empty because they have refused
to let plots there since 1996.

Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.