Potential
Allotment Keepers |
The
Allotment Keepers Forum |
| Date | Name | Comments |
| 22/03/10 | Paul Williams | South West Counties Allotments Association Insurance offer. Please visit www.allotmentssouthwest.org.uk/ then Insurance and then Terms and Conditions for full details of their offer. Assuming 20 of us pay their £2, the total for the group would obviously be £40 - Mike perhaps we can do better via the Parish Council? For details of possible Terms and Conditions of Tenancy and also Aims and Constitution for The Digger Uppers please visit www.barlastonallotments.co.uk. If we all consider their aims etc to be reasonable perhaps we can move forward with our own at the next meeting. |
| 22/03/10 | Juliet | Francine, we have a list of people wanting allotments if you can give us contact details you can be added to the list. Perhaps the best way is to contact Mike Stuart, he will then forward it on to me, as you probably don't want to publish too much info on this open site. |
| 21/03/10 | Francine Garner, Upper Up |
Are there any allotments available please |
| 20/03/10 | Grant | That's something that we could certainly get fitted ourselves (my son's a chippy so that shouldn't be a problem!). It's just the initial cost that was a surprise. |
| 20/03/10 | Juliet | I know nothing about containers but I thought Mike was wanting one with a partition so the shredder and rotavator were kept separately from the allotment lawnmower. Do these 'door at either end' containers include that or would that be another expense? |
| 20/03/10 | Grant Stratford | Rory and I have obtained a number of quotes for a 40 foot container with pedestrian door at one end and double doors at the other - however they are not cheap! The best quote to date is £1,500 + VAT and £350 to deliver and unload. For a 2nd hand container without pedestrian door the price drops to around £800. Is it time to think of another option or are these prices better than we think? |
| 19/03/10 | Philip Nicholas | I was finally able to submit the planning application and supporting documents to CDC today. Do feel free to invite our three CDC Water Park Ward Councillors to give it their full support, and hopefully it can be processed swiftly. I will post the planning application reference here once it is issued. |
| 16/03/10 | Peter Jay | Today 16th March Mike Stuart and I dug some sample squares of turf at random on the proposed allotment site. We found that under the turf the soil was the sort to die for - dark brown with a lovely texture. There were no signs of couch runners or buttercup (the bane of my life). There were some excellent fat worms. All this bodes well and makes me think that there should be no worries about rotovating the site with the turf in situ. I would not want to go too deep at first say 9" - just to enjoy that top soil! |
| 12/03/10 | Kelvin Wearing | I'm afraid I cannot make it to the meeting tonight as I am working but I am very interested to know how the meeting goes and any updates on the availability of the plots. thanks very much. |
| 12/03/10 | Peter Brazier | Since I helped with the hedge cutting morning, I cant find my garden fork, did anyone find it left behind and kindly take it home for safety?? |
| 11/03/10 | Angela Woodhouse | I believe Denise & Sue (secretaries) have an up to date list from the first meeting, which has been annotated to delete those not now interested, which is being brought to the meeting tomorrow night. |
| 10/03/10 | Juliet Layton | I have got the original list from our first meeting but it didn't give any info on shared plots nor is it definitive as some people have dropped out, having reached the top of the Bruton Knowles list and been granted original allotments, and Mike has had applications from new people. Basically I'm saying that I haven't got a clue as to numbers of applicants or the choice to share. I am hoping we will get a clearer picture on Friday. |
| 09/03/10 | Grant Stratford | Juliet, regarding the rotavation of the whole area, it was just a suggestion as to how best level the complete area - the far side by the wall certainly has a slope that will need addressing (drainage could be an issue) but I agree that keeping the paths intact would be a better solution as it would allow people access to their plots quicker. We will have to think of another way of levelling the ground. I also am interested as to whether we would get a choice about a whole or half plot. |
| 08/03/10 | Peter Brazier | Juliet, as you have the list of original interested parties, can you say how many plots are taken if all require a plot each? before we get to Friday when perhaps new people may require a plot or share a plot |
| 05/03/10 | Denise & Bob | Hi, Does that mean that all the plots will be half the size? The allotment we have just had to give up was much bigger & we never found it big enough. Will we be given a choice half or whole plot? |
| 05/03/10 | Juliet Layton | I am glad to see that the plots may be
individually rotavated leaving the pathways intact. I had heard some
discussion that we should rotavate the whole plot to level the 'dip' in
the top corner. My feeling was we would create a mud bath and the
pathways would take a long time to establish. However should this be put
forward at the meeting to ensure we are all in agreement? I also wondered if we should be agreeing a draft constitution. |
| 03/03/10 | Mike Stuart | Despite my asking all three firms that have visited to estimate for the fencing of the site, so far only one has sent any indication of price. We cannot do anything about applying for financial assistance without such prices so we must wait until the other two estimates arrive. You would have thought that in the financial situation the world is in that firms would be falling over themselves to get a job like ours! |
| 02/03/10 | Mike Stuart | Grant, We must wait until the Planning
Approval has been granted and after that we will have to mark out the
plot boundaries so that the grass pathways are left intact. I suggest we
must sit back and wait a bit longer yet! In the meantime, I have had quite a lot of new parties expressing interest in taking plots so I think we will fill the site by the end of this year. There is definitely a strong argument to be made for dividing the plots into two as several people feel they cannot manage all of one. Food for thought. |
| 01/03/10 | Grant Stratford | Mike, I'm more than happy to have a go with the rotavator if somebody wants to come up with me and help. Where is it being stored? I could have a go Friday afternoon (5th March) or Saturday (6th) if this isn't too early, or do we need to wait for the approval of the planning application? |
| 27/02/10 | Mike Stuart | James Harris and I have just confirmed the two corner marks where the fencing will be by doing a dead measure using his surveyor's wheel. Brian's measurements were only a very few inches away from ours. I think Brian has done this sort of job before! Thanks Brian and Patricia. Three firms of fencing contractors have visited the site and are preparing estimates to provide suitable fencing and gates to protect the gardens. I have expressed the urgent need for us to have the details/prices so we can apply for funding. Philip is getting on well with the Planning application and says that CDC are being very helpful. Many people including those who are not interested in taking a plot have said how great the hedge clearing work has made the area look. Nobody has seen that lovely wall for decades. Great work and thanks to all who took part. The rotavator is working well after being unpacked and assembled. We are concerned that as it is a big brute it will require to be used by an operator who is pretty strong and fit. We do have someone who we hope will undertake the actual operation but will require payment. When we have full details of how the scheme will work, details will be made available via this forum. That's all for now. |
| 25/02/10 | Denise & Bob | Hi Again, Spoke to Brian Faulkner this evening, he has marked out the site & I think he said one plot. He is keen to mark out more but a bit worried about 'jumping the gun' before we get planning. I said I would mention this on this site to find out what others think. Brian & Pat will not now need a plot, they have been given one by the church but Brian said he will still mark out the plots for us. We are free Saturday if needed. |
| 22/02/10 | Pete & Roz | Don't worry Denise & Bob, ten or more turned up from 9.30 to gone 1.30 and all that the "Beavers" Kelvin and Chris Wearing had chopped down previously has all been burnt (a very well done for all there work done in the week, and well done to the Saturday team who chopped down more ivy, brambles etc. and many thanks to Pat Faulkner for the cups of coffee. There is a bit more of the wall to be relieved of its ivy, not sure if anyone is intending to meet up this Sat.? We were talking about wanting to mark out a plot so we could confirm if we required a full plot or some still want to share a plot, sooner the better, so we can have confirm number of plots taken, especially as it was mentioned in the Standard that some plots may be spare. |
| 20/02/10 | Denise & Bob | Hi Everybody, So sorry Bob & I could not help today (Saturday) but we have our daughter and grandchildren staying. How did you get on? We will be free next week if there is anything needs doing |
| 14/02/10 | Peter Brazier | Morning Everyone, Firstly, I m not sure if this should be an email or on the web ?? So I will try both. Yesterday afternoon I (Pete Brazier, Meadow Way) went for my first visit to the allotment ground (always cycling through the field to get to work, but never ventured around the left hand corner) So it was nice to see Pat and Brian Faulkner (of Silver Street) also having a wander. We had quite a natter about all things, including moving in to the village over the past couple of years, and how they almost bought the bungalow we moved into. We were surprised to see a lovely Cotswold stone wall on the far Southerly side of the ground which is almost lost behind the strangling / leaning over hedgerow etc, and thought what about a work party for anyone that was free next Saturday morning at say 9.30, and interested in helping (or even watching) to help cut back / tidy the hedgerow, it would also add quite a bit of width back to the ground. Q. If the wind was in the right direction (away from the houses) we wondered if we could have a bonfire and burn away the rubbish as fast as we chopped it down?? In a few weeks time we believe we will get the ok, for the land, Q. is it not until then that we wish to mark out the plots?? And then we could draw our allocated ground, and make a start, I know we are all very keen. |
| 10/02/10 | Philip Nicholas | Cotswold District Council has confirmed that we will need planning permission for change of use to allotments, so I am in the process of preparing the application. Let me know if you have questions: philip.nicholas@wilmots.co.uk |
| 07/02/10 | Julian Caunce | Great to see so many of you on Friday, I'm sure the allotment will be a great success. I d love to help in any way I can. Julian Caunce (Chair of the Playing fields and maintenance committee) Tel 07743 896490 or email julian@cerneywick.com |