Allotment tenant guidelines

The Council still has more than a 1,000 people on the waiting list for a stock of around 650 allotments. It is therefore essential that all our allotments are in full use and tenants read and follow these Guidelines to reduce warnings and evictions.

Any vacated large plots will continue be split into regular plots wherever possible.

After January 2025, if a current tenant moves more than 5 miles outside the Preston City Council boundary, the plot will revert to the Council at the end of the growing season and will be relet to a Preston tenant.

Remember

To keep a plot to the required standard, you will need between five and eight hours every single week. (RHS - Grow Your Own - 2024)

If you cannot fully commit to this amount of time, think very carefully about taking a plot on.

Cultivation levels

25% of the plot should be cleared and cultivated within 3 months.

50% to be cleared by 6 months, 75% cultivation by 12 months.

After 12 months, at least 75% of the allotment must be weed free and under the active cultivation of vegetables and fruits.

The remaining 25% is allocated for sheds, paths, composting, flowers, or grassed areas, and should be tidy and well kept.

All Tenants can obtain growing advice from the Allotment Officer, Site Reps, Associations, or Let's Grow Preston. Professional growing advice is also freely available online:

All plots must have a prominent and visible plot number. If there is no number from March 25 you will receive a warning letter.

Trespass/Theft (borrowing, recycling, foraging, etc.) from other allotments, including vacant plots, will lead to the loss of your tenancy.

Always follow instructions about site security and close and lock gates. Do not leave power tools or valuable equipment on site.

Do not fly tip or leave waste anywhere on site. If you bring it on, take it off.

No Chainsaw work, working at heights, or herbicide/pesticide applications to take place on Council managed land, including car parks, footpaths, perimeters, etc. without the prior agreement of the Allotment Officer.

New Tenancies. The Tenancy Agreement and Payment must be signed and returned to the Parks Office within 14 days, or the offer of the Allotment will be withdrawn.

Payment for your allotment

Each tenant is responsible for payment of rent within 40 days from 1 January, whether legally demanded or not. Payments must be made by 10 February at the latest.

If the Rent is not received by 10 February, an Eviction Notice will be issued.

This is to allow time to remove any crops, or tools and equipment only, not an opportunity to make a late payment!

(Tenancy Agreement (3)i)

Allotment structures

A shed, greenhouse, and/or polytunnel, can be erected using the following measurements. Permission must be sought from the Council for more than one shed per plot.

Sheds

Length- maximum 10ft 0ins (3.1m)
Width - maximum 8ft 0ins (2.4m)
Height - maximum 8ft 6in to ridge (2.6m)

Greenhouses/polytunnels

Length - maximum 20ft 0ins (6.2 m)
Width - maximum 12ft 0ins (3.7m)
Height - maximum 8ft 6ins to ridge (2.6m)

All structures must be kept in a safe state of maintenance and repair.

Asbestos

As a Council, we are working hard to keep sites free from hazards. All vacant plots will be inspected for hazards before letting. If you take on a plot and do find Asbestos, (usually in the form of cementised corrugated sheeting) or are concerned about any other material you find on your plot, contact the Council Allotment Officer. They will reinspect and sign/tape off any potential hazards, advise on action, and arrange removal as necessary. Please do not dump elsewhere on site and don't put in the skip.

For more information see asbestos safety guidance.

Eviction process

If a new tenant, not less than 3 months after commencement of the tenancy, has not observed the required 25% cultivation level, an Eviction Notice can be issued.

The Allotment Officer/Site Representative will inspect plots on a regular basis. Tenants will be contacted by letter or email if the plot is in an unsatisfactory condition.

Warning 1 (W1) gives 21 days to make good on the plot. Warning 2 (W2) gives an additional and final, 7 days to comply.

If an acceptable standard is achieved during (W1) and (W2) the plot will be monitored in the normal way. Both warning letters will stay in force for 12 months after issue.

If a tenant has extenuating circumstances, they should contact the Site Rep or Council on Allotments@preston.gov.uk as soon as possible.

If the plot has not been cultivated to the required level after the W2, a 1 Month Notice of Termination Notice to Quit (NTQ) will be issued.

If a tenancy is terminated under the NTQ, no compensation is payable. The NTQ is not a "last chance" to tidy up. All crops/equipment must be removed during this period, or they become the property of the Council.

Water

All tenants should collect rainwater from greenhouses/sheds wherever possible. All Council sites are connected to the mains water supply. Water charges are currently the responsibility of the Council. The water is turned on late March/early April and turned off late October, depending on the weather. Please use this resource responsibly.

Hose pipes should only be used to fill water butts or watering cans, they must not be used to directly water the ground. You can apply for an exemption to the Council if this causes you difficulty on Allotments@preston.gov.uk.

Sprinklers are banned from all sites, and hoses should never be left unattended.

Washing of vehicles using the water supply is not allowed.

Bonfires

Bonfires on all sites are banned between 1 June and 30 September because of issues with air quality, smoke, climate change, and fire risks. Allotment bonfires are the cause of many complaints. Repeated complaints may result in the termination of a tenancy. If a bonfire is necessary, observe the following guidance:

Produce a hot quick fire using dry materials. Do not burn green waste or non-organic matter. Accelerants such as petrol, oil or paraffin must never be used. Be aware of wind direction and avoid smoke causing a nuisance to neighbouring properties, roads, or tenants. Do not light fires within an hour of sunset or within 5 metres of a structure. Never leave a fire unattended and ensure access to water in case the fire gets out of control.

If a complaint is received the fire must be extinguished immediately.

Air rifles, firearms, cross/archery bows, fireworks/pyrotechnics

None of the above shall be allowed on land without the permission of the landowner, in this case PCC. There is a ban on all fireworks/pyrotechnics, air rifles, bows or firearms on all sites without permission and licence from PCC. Any tenant who breaches these rules will immediately be issued a Notice to Quit and the Police will be informed.

Skips

Most sites (excluding PHW and Haslam) receive at least 2 skips per year. Skips must not be filled past the top level. Hazardous waste or contaminants including, tyres, asbestos, batteries, gas bottles, fluorescent tubes, TV's or monitors, cannot go in skips. If you take on a new plot, check with your Site Rep or the Allotment Officer. They may be able to assist with an initial waste clearance

As a simple rule - If you're not sure, don't put it in!

Keeping livestock

The keeping of livestock (Hens/Bees) is not allowed without the written consent of the Council. Suitability of site, length of time on your allotment, animal welfare, stocking densities, stock hygiene, appropriate training, flood risk, and insurances, will all be considered by the Council prior to the issuing of consent.

Fencing

If a tenant decides to fence off a plot, the fence should be safe, regularly maintained and not impede communal pathways. The maximum height is 1.5m. Barbed/razor wire or similar hazardous material is not allowed. Live Willow "Fedges", are not allowed.

Hedges

Tenants are responsible for hedges on their allotments & boundaries, unless on an external boundary managed by PCC. Hedges & Brambles must not encroach on

footpaths or side paths and should be pruned annually to no more than 2 metres in height. Bamboo's, Conifers, Pines, Laurel's, Willow "Fedges", or Willow species should not be planted on plots & existing plants removed where possible.

Fruit trees

All fruit trees should be pruned and kept to under 4 metres (13 feet). All other trees and hedges should be pruned annually to a height of no more than 2 metres (6 feet 6")

Side paths

These are the tenant's responsibility and should be kept clear to a width of 90cm. This allows the use of a wheelbarrow and access for inspections.

Carpets and plastic grass

The use of old carpets or plastic grass as ground cover is prohibited and neither should be brought onto site. They contain chemicals & microplastics that contaminate soil as they decay. Any on site already should be removed as soon as possible.

Children

Under 16's must be supervised at all times and cannot "roam" on sites.

Dogs

Must be on a lead on Council areas and shared spaces. If tenants have dogs off lead on their allotment, the plot must be securely fenced and gated. All fouling must be removed immediately from all areas.

Double glazing units

Must not to be brought onto sites. Existing units should be removed as soon as possible. They are a considerable hazard, especially when old, and are extremely difficult and costly to dispose of.

Tyres

Must not be brought onto site. Tyres are hazardous waste and contain carcinogens.

They are also expensive to remove and dispose of. If you take on a plot and find tyres, contact the Allotment Officer to arrange for removal.

Baths/white goods/kitchen units/laminate flooring/tiles

Baths, bathroom furniture, kitchen units, flooring, or white goods, (fridges/freezers) should not be brought to site. They contaminate the land as they decay or are damaged. Any already on site should be removed at the earliest opportunity.

Camping out/drunkenness

Overnight parties, stays, or any other form of camping, are not allowed on any Council site. Drunkenness on site, leading to a breach of tenancy by causing nuisance to other tenants, will lead to further action and may lead to a loss of tenancy.

Theft and trespass

Do not enter another tenant's plot without permission. This is trespass and you may be evicted. Do not enter any vacant plots to "Forage, Borrow or Recycle" without the permission of the Allotment Officer or Site Rep.

Put simply, this is theft and may lead to eviction.

Camper vans/vehicle trailers

Overnight stays in camper vans on site are not allowed. Towed vehicle trailers for moving waste, other vehicles, boats, etc must not be left on site overnight.

Security

Everyone involved with allotments has a duty of care to ensure that all sites are as safe as is reasonably practical. This includes the closing & locking of gates.

Valuable items, especially strimmers, mowers, and power tools, should not be left on site as allotments are secluded and open to theft & trespass. Many tenants no longer lock sheds as the damage done by trespassers often costs more than any items that are stolen.

Report any thefts to the police on 101 and get a crime reference number.

Hazards, health and safety

The Council make regular inspections of all sites and are responsible for areas not covered by tenancies, excluding Assoc. Structures. The inspections enable hazards to be identified, severity assessed, and a response developed. If a tenant discovers a hazard, it should be reported to the Allotment Officer or Site Rep as soon as possible.

Tenants are responsible for Health and Safety relating to structures, paths, fencing, bonfires, compost/manure heaps, and pesticides/herbicides, on their own plots.

Tenants have responsibility for the health and safety of any persons visiting their plot.

Associations are responsible for their structures, shops, and storage containers.

All accelerants, fuels, herbicides and pesticides, should be stored and locked away in the appropriate containers.

A tenancy may be terminated if the tenant fails to comply with action necessary to maintain or improve health and safety on sites & plots.

Additional advice on health and safety is available from the Allotments Officer, Site

Reps, Association, or the National Allotment Society website. There is also a wealth of information on the Government HSE website.

Hygiene, disease and cleanliness

After the Covid Pandemic, we all became aware of the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. At the very least, ensure you wash your hands well after visiting site, and especially before eating, drinking, or smoking.

Ensure that produce is washed and cleaned before eating and be aware of the symptoms for E-coli, Legionella, Lyme's, and Weil's disease.

Information about diseases and illnesses associated with gardening and allotments is widely available on the National Allot Society, RHS, and NHS, web sites.

Data protection

Preston City Council will use your information for Allotment management purposes only, and in a manner compatible with the GDPR. Any disclosures or sharing of information

will only take place were permitted by law. For further information please see our privacy notice.