Allotment inspections
When your plot will be inspected, and the level of cultivation required.
Probationary tenancy and inspections
The first 3 months of your tenancy is a probationary period unless your tenancy starts within the winter.
We'll expect to see:
- at least 40% of your plot cultivated after 3 months
- 75% of your plot cultivated within the first year
If you don’t manage this, the council reserves the right to end your tenancy and re-let the plot.
After your 3-month probationary period, we’ll expect you to cultivate 75% of your plot. At this point, you’ll enter the normal inspection process.
To help manage the areas of your plot that aren't cultivated, we recommend mulching with a weed-suppressing membrane. This will:
- condition the soil for when you're ready to grow crops
- stop weed growth
You can also strim down grass and tall weeds in the non-cropped areas.
Normal inspection process
We’ll carry out 3 inspections on each site during the growing season. This is between April and October. You'll receive a notice if:
- you're not cultivating your plot
- you break the rules in the allotments rulebook (PDF 280KB)
We'll send your notice to the address we have on record, so let the service know if you change your address. If you update your address with another council department, we will not be informed of this.
Find out more about specific notices, and what to do if you receive a notice.