Cley Parish Council | Allotments

Allotments

Historical Background

The Hardy, Cozens – Hardy and Knott families have been providing allotments in the village of Cley for over 120 years and probably since purchasing the Cley Hall Estate in 1839.

The current site is shown as allotments on the 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Miss Knott and her family have provided several parcels of land for village use including the extension to the churchyard, land on which the Village Hall was built and in 1936 land for Council Houses on Old Woman’s Lane.

The Allotments at Cley are let by the Trustees of the Miss H D Knott Will Trust to Cley Parish Council. The Parish Council is the tenant of the allotment site.

The Site

The present allotment site on Church Lane, Cley, is now some 5 acres. There are a total of seventysix 10 rod plots. Some of the plots are subdivided, so you would not need to have a whole 10 rod site. 10 rods are equal to 302.5 square yards or roughly 23 feet x 117 feet.

The site is west facing, it has a water supply and offers limited parking on site near to the entrance gate. The Village Hall Car Park is adjacent to the site. There is a central track, also a public right of way, which runs from east to west on the site measuring 2.5 metres in width. This does allow access for tractors to the site for the delivery of such things as manure.

Each 10 rod plot has a narrow path adjacent to it and this is maintained by the allotment holder and their neighbour.

The site is managed by the Parish Council although there is an Allotment Committee which represents the views of the Allotment Holders. The site is managed by Rules and Regulations. Applications for the erection of sheds or the planting of trees are also subject to rules and regulations, and such applications can only be made in March or September.

For more details on the Rules and Regulations for the site visit this page. If you are interested in taking on a plot we can meet you on site to show you around simply get in touch.

Cley Parish Council Allotment Rules and Regulations

1. Rent payable

The rent shall be paid yearly in advance by the 1st October each year, and a proportionate amount of rent for any part of a year over which the tenancy may extend will be payable.

The Council may terminate the tenancy if rent is in arrears of the due date or if the tenant is not observing the rules and regulations or if the tenant dies.

2. Food production

The tenant shall use the plot as an allotment only for the production of vegetables, fruit and flowers and shall keep it clean and in a good state of cultivation. Livestock as permitted by s. 12 Allotments Act 1950 – domestic chickens are permitted provided written permission from the Council is obtained.

The keeping of Bees is also permissible subject to Council approval, and to the gardener being a member of the British Bee Keeping Association and having their own public liability. No other livestock is permissible.

The tenant may not use the allotment for trade or business, but any surplus produce may be sold locally.

3. Structures

Written permission is necessary before any building is erected. An application will need to be made to the Council indicating the size and the situation where it will be put. (see separate form for application to erect a structure).

The tenant is responsible for the removal of any structure on or before the termination of the agreement.

If allotment buildings are not kept in good repair, despite a written warning by the Council giving 2 months notice, then the Council has the right to remove or dispose of dangerous structures and charge the tenant accordingly.

No tenant is permitted to allow any building or structure on his land to be lived in.

4. Trees

Written permission is necessary before any fruit tree is planted (see separate form for application to plant a tree). Written permission is necessary before any tree is cut down, lopped or branch removed. Such works are likely to require the permission of North Norfolk District Council in the first instance. The written consent from NNDC should then be forwarded to the Parish Council, for their own consideration.

5. Hedges, boundaries and pathways

The tenant must be responsible for any hedge adjoining his allotment to keep it trimmed back and for keeping in good repair or any other fences or sheds on his/her allotment. Barbed wire should not be used.

Pathways are as indicated on the plot plan and should remain 2 foot wide. They shall be jointly maintained by the tenant and his/her neighbouring allotment holder.

Please ensure that these are kept in a straight line and follow the plan. No stones, rubble or debris of any sort should be left on the paths or plots. No soil or turf may be taken away. The central pathway through the site, running from Church Lane eastwards, is a public footpath and should be left clear at all times.

6. Vehicles

Vehicles should only be brought onto the site for the purposes of off loading or loading. They should be driven slowly. The tenant shall not keep any caravans, mobiles or vehicles on site.

7. Dogs

Dogs, if brought onto the site by allotment holders, should be kept on a short leash at all times and no fouling is permitted or straying onto adjacent plots.

8. Water

There is a tap on the site and anyone wishing to use this should telephone the Clerk. Hand held hoses, only, to be used.

Water consumption is measured on a meter and once registered you will pay the amount of the water bill divided by the number of registered users.

9. Disputes

Any disputes must be referred to the Council whose decision is final the Council (member or officer) shall be entitled to enter and inspect the allotments following instruction from the Council.

10. Notice

The Tenant shall give one months notice to terminate his tenancy.

No refund shall be given if the termination is during the allotment year.

The Council shall give the tenant 12 months notice.

Tenants should advise the Council if they change their address.

Rules and regulations relating to structures and trees, sheds, greenhouses (pdf download)