Information for Plot Holders

You should find pretty much everything you need to know here. Check the news page for the latest updates for LLAA members and if you have any further questions, please post in the forum or contact the secretary.

Click on a subject heading below to jump to the section:

Management of the site
As we are a private rather than Council run allotment site, LLAA is self-governing and relies on its members to elect the Committee. Elections take place at our Annual General Meetings (AGM) to serve for two years. We have an AGM every year, usually in late November/early December, which all members are encouraged to attend.

Committee members meet monthly to discuss any LLAA business, and can be contacted either individually on their plots, or via the secretary. You can use the form on the contact us page or by posting a letter at the site hut. Written questions/requests should be directed to the Secretary and will be minuted and discussed at the next Committee meeting.

Check the news page for details of the current committee members

Membership and tenancy
After a successful probationary period (see below) you will then be eligible to become a full member of LLAA. This means you will be issued a share certificate in accordance with the LLAA rules. It is important to remember that the shares in themselves have no monetary value, but it qualifies you to be able vote at the AGM. If a plot is rented by more than one person, only the first named plotholder is eligible to vote.

Allotment rules and bylaws
When you become a member you will receive a copy of the Allotment Rules and bylaws; please read these carefully, and abide by them at all times. These documents are also available in the menu on the right. ->

Taking over a plot
Plots are managed by the LLAA Secretary, who is responsible for keeping the waiting list updated and is kept informed of plots as they become free. Plots may be in various states of cultivation when they are offered to new members. They may be totally dug over and ready to cultivate, or have structures such as sheds and greenhouses already on them. You may also inherit mature fruit trees or bushes. It is traditional for the new plotholder to pay the outgoing tenant a sum of money for such ‘fixtures and fittings’ that they leave behind, or if the plot has been well manured and dug over ready for you. The Secretary will be usually be able to tell you what the outgoing plot holder is asking for these before you view the plot. The sum requested should then be negotiated between the incoming and outgoing tenants themselves. Please note the Management Committee does not get directly involved in these discussions, it is for you to decide if you wish to pay the sum requested.

Probationary period
When you first agree to take on a plot, it is for a probationary period of six months. This also applies if this is not the only plot you have on the site. This is to make sure you are able to commit the time and effort it takes to maintaining a plot (or a further plot); some people underestimate this and it is the most common reason for giving a plot up. If you take on a plot that has become overgrown, this probationary period may be extended at the Committees discretion to take account of this.

You will be asked to provide a deposit at the start of your probationary period; this will include payment for a key, a set of Rules and Bye-laws, and plot rent. Your plot will be inspected at the end of your probationary period, and if cultivated you will then be issued a share certificate for that plot and become a full member. Please note; we do not expect your plot to be pristine at this point! We would expect to see evidence that you have prepared it and are at least ready to cultivate it, making allowances for the state it was in when you took it over and the time of year. If the plot shows no evidence of care or cultivation, the Committee may decline to make you a full member, your deposit will be forfeit and the plot will be offered to the next person on the waiting list.

Maintenance of plots
All plots are formally inspected by the Committee member responsible for Plot Assessments and the Health & Safety member twice a year.

The rules state that plots must be kept in a state of ‘reasonable cultivation’. On this site, this is defined as at least 2/3rds of the plot under active cultivation. This is 2/3rds of the available earth space, so excludes permanent structures such as sheds, greenhouses and hard standing.

Orchard areas are counted as part of the actively cultivated area if they are fruit trees underplanted by grass which is kept in the manner of an ordinary lawn. Permanent lawn areas are not encouraged, but if pre-existing should not exceed 1/3 of the plot and be kept regularly mown. Strimming of weedy unplanted areas does not count as active cultivation, and should be either dug over and cultivated or kept covered prior to cultivation to avoid weeds spreading to neighbouring plots.

Plots not achieving the required standard; members will be sent a letter informing them of this and given six months in order to remedy the matter. The plot will be reviewed again at the specified time period; if the plot still fails to reach the agreed standard the plotholder will be given notice to quit.

Littleover Lane Site Map

Keeping on top of things
We understand that there will be times in everyone’s life when maintaining a plot will not be the highest priority. If you find that you are unable to adequately keep on top of your plot for whatever reason, please do not let it gradually pass from being cultivated to uncultivated, and then on to being partly or completely overgrown.

Instead please inform any the Committee members of your situation as soon as practicable. Similarly, if you decide that you have to give up your plot, please inform the Secretary as soon as possible. There are many people on the waiting list for our site; please consider others by freeing up a plot that you are no longer cultivating.

Security
Security of the site is in all plotholders interests and is taken very seriously. Access to the site is for plotholders and their immediate family only for the purpose of working on your own plot. The two entrance gates must be kept locked after access. If the gate needs to be open for a delivery of manure etc. members are expected to wait by the gate and supervise the delivery, locking the gates afterwards. The toilet block and door next to the main gates are kept locked, you will be given an access key that fits both (£5 from your deposit refunded upon return) when you take on a plot.

Practically all allotment sites in the land suffer from periodic vandalism or theft, and unfortunately LLAA is no exception. It is therefore sensible not to put temptation in anyone’s way, and all members should take reasonable steps to protect their property whilst on site. Keeping sheds in good repair and with adequate locks, removing one wheel from rotovators, keeping tools and other valuable equipment security marked (our Security Committee member can do this for you with SmartWater) and hidden from sight are all sensible precautions.

If you have the misfortune to experience either theft or vandalism on your plot it is important to report it to both the police and the Committee member for security. The LLAA liaises with local police as part of the Allotment Watch Scheme, and the Committee member can be contacted for consultation on any security issues you may have.

Facilities
The site has a toilet block with disabled access, supplied with water all year round, accessed with your site key. Please re-lock after use. The toilets are cleaned and maintained by Committee members, so please report any relevant problems to them.

There are a few items that members can hire for use on their plots, currently a petrol run strimmer and a lawn mower. Donations to use these items is appreciated, see Committee members for details.
LLAA also pays to be affiliated to Normanton Allotments, which entitles our members to use the allotment shop on Hathersage Street. The shop offers seeds, fertilisers, plants and sundries at favourable prices.

Parking
There are two car parking areas on the site, by the main top gate by the site hut, and at the bottom gate by the shelter. Please be considerate to others and do not park outside of these designated areas. Parking next to your plot for loading/unloading for a short period of time is acceptable, but then please use the car parks once completed.

Water supply
Water is available via taps throughout the site from Easter until the end of British Summertime; the taps are then covered with tubes to avoid freezing damage. Water to the toilet block remains on throughout the year. Please bear in mind that the water rates have to be paid from the plot rents, so indiscriminate water use may impact on all members financially. Hoses may be used to fill water butts only;

sprinklers or seep hoses attached to the mains water supply are not permitted. All permanent structures should have rainwater collection facilities wherever possible and collected rainwater used instead of mains water.

Compost, manures and mulch
Allotment rules state that you are responsible for keeping the soil in your plot ‘in good heart’ by ensuring regular additions of compost or manure. Setting up some compost bins should be a priority when first taking over a plot; you may be lucky and inherit some partly full ones! Compost green material and your kitchen waste; It’s better for the environment than burning it and the compost is a valuable resource to return to your soil. Never put any cooked or meat waste in your compost; it may attract vermin.

Well rotted manure and mushroom compost make superb soil conditioners; local farmers and mushroom farms offer delivery at various rates depending on the amount purchased, see notice boards for details. We have recently been able to take deliveries of free shreddings from the local council; when available, this is left in a pile opposite the greenhouses near the top gate for plotholders to help themselves. It is very useful for weed suppression on paths etc.

Bonfires
Bonfires should be kept to a minimum, and awareness of the potential for smoke nuisance for both other plot holders and neighbouring houses should be considered at all times. All bonfires should be kept well away from any fences or buildings/sheds and must not be left unattended; it is the plotholders responsibility to extinguish any fire before leaving the site. Some plot holders save their end of season dead and diseased prunings etc for an annual bonfire on 5th November; you can use the resulting ash as a source of potash for your plot!

Wildlife
The site supports a large variety of wildlife, including many beneficial insects and bees (a few plot holders have hives on site), and plotholders are encouraged to consider planting a small area of nectar rich plants, flowers or fruit trees on their plots to support this. There is a small local fox population, which members are requested not to feed, and some very large pigeons: be warned, unless you net your brassica plants they will enjoy them before you!

There is also the usual slug and snail population to contend with: a report from DEFRA implicates Metaldehyde and Methiocarb (common poisons in slug pellets) in the poisoning of a wide range of both domestic and wild animals; please consider using other less harmful methods of control, such as nematodes, beer traps etc. Ferramol based slug pellets which do not harm any wildlife except molluscs are also widely available and just as effective.

The site is developing a wildlife area with a pond for all members to enjoy, whose upkeep is supported by a small band of plotholders: if you wish to be involved in its development please let the Committee member responsible know.

Communications
You can check the news page of this website for new developments. There are also two notice boards on site, one by the main gate on the site hut, and one on the side of the shelter in the bottom car park.
AGM information and other Committee communications is usually emailed or posted to members; having your communications emailed to you saves postage money – if you can, please let the Secretary know your email address.

We currently produce two LLAA Newsletters, Spring & Summer emailed or posted to all members with important dates for events and articles of interest; contributions welcome!

The shelter at the bottom car park is also used as an impromptu recycling point; any surplus produce or useful materials are left there for others to use; not for general rubbish though please.

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