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Allotments

Salisbury District Council's allotments enable hundreds of residents to work their own piece of land and enjoy the fruits of their labour.

How many allotments does the council have?

Salisbury District Council has over 650 plots across 10 different sites located around the city.

For legal reasons, the size of an allotment is quoted in rods, an old unit of measurement. A typical allotment on one of our sites will measure about 5 square rods.

One square rod is roughly equal to 30 square yards or 25 square metres. A typical plot will therefore measure about 150 square yards or roughly 125 square metres.

We do offer plots of up to 15 square rods at some sites for the more ambitious gardener!

Find out about the different allotment sites in the city.

How much does an allotment cost?

The current cost of an allotment is £3.35 per square rod per annum. Accordingly, the cost of a 5 rod plot - the most common plot size - is £16.75 for the year. Allotment bills are sent out at the start of each year; payments can be made by telephone, on our website and in person at our offices on Pennyfarthing Street.

Included in this payment is the option for new tenants to have their plot rotovated.

How to pay for your allotment.

What facilities do the allotments have?

Each site has its own water supply and a warden to assist tenants. Our sites also have security fencing and gates to prevent unauthorised access; tenants are supplied with keys to get through the gates.

How do I get an allotment?

Anyone who lives in Salisbury can apply for an allotment.* We then just ask that all of our tenants take the time to tend to their plot(s).

*We regret that we cannot consider applications from people who reside outside of the city at the present time. This decision was taken in light of the current demand for allotments.

For those residents who live elsewhere in the district, allotments are dealt with by the relevant parish or town council. Contact your parish or town clerk.

Are the allotments accessible to people with disabilities?

Special provisions have been made for disabled gardeners at Fisherton Farm allotments. Please contact us for more details.

What can I grow on my allotment? Can I keep animals?

We are happy for you to grow whatever you want on your allotment within reason and within the law! We would also ask that you give consideration to your neighbours and other tenants when you plant.

New tenants are no longer allowed to keep livestock on their allotment(s). This decision was taken about three years ago because of a variety of problems. Tenants who were already letting their plot(s) before this date are still allowed to keep small animals, but this privilege would lapse should they give up their plot or move to another site.

How do I enter the allotment competition?

There is an annual allotment competition that is open to all tenants; entry forms for the competition are sent out to all tenants in the spring, enclosed with the new year's bill.

There are first, second and third prizes for each of the different allotment sites. There are also an Overall Cup for the winner with the most points across all of the sites, an Oldest Citizen Cup and a Ladies' Cup. There are cash prizes for all of these awards.

Plots are judged in accordance with criteria recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society. These are:

Condition of the plot
Quality of workmanship
Quality of crops, flowers and plants
Originality of layout and planting
Ingenuity in overcoming local (intrinsic) problems
Visual character of the plot

Winners are announced at a presentation even each September, in conjunction with the Garden competition. This event includes a guest speaker as well as food and drink. Typically, awards and prizes are presented by the chairman of the council.

What is the Salisbury Allotment Association?

The Salisbury Allotment Association is an independent group made up of allotment tenants. It aims to represent conerns and issues to the council. Visit the Salisbury Allotment Association website .

Useful links

Information:

Allotment sites

Things you can do:

Apply for an allotment

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434634 or 434628

email:
parks@salisbury.gov.uk

Postal address:
Community Initiatives
Parks Section
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2117
Salisbury
SP2 2DF