Why have an allotment?

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way of exercising and staying healthy, meeting new people and getting involved in your community and it could save you money too.

Allotments also help to protect the environment. They can be a habitat for wildlife such as birds, insects and small animals, and the use of practices including composting and rainwater harvesting are encouraged. The use of hosepipes is not allowed on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council owned allotments.

Renting an allotment in Basingstoke

If you are 18 or over and live in Basingstoke and Deane you can apply for one of our allotments.

Allotment sizes

Allotment plots can vary in size but as a guide a full plot is 250 square metres (10 rods) and a half plot is 125 square metres (5 rods).

Cost

The annual costs for 2018/19 are:

OAP rate (over 60s) - first allotment plot - 93p per 10m² (additional plots charged at the standard rate)
Standard rate - £1.86 per 10m².

For example:

A 250m² (10 rod) allotment plot = £46.50
A 125m² (5 rod) allotment plot = £23.25

Pay for an allotment

Waiting list

We currently have a very long waiting list and you could be waiting between three to four years for an allotment plot on the majority of sites.

At the following sites it is estimated that based on turnover the waiting time is currently 10 years or more:

Abbey Road
Bach Close
Bermuda Close
Carpenters Down
Hatch Warren
Kenilworth Road
Pitcairn Close
Quilter Road
West Ham Close
Beggarwood Lane
Marnel Park

Applicants who have been waiting the longest are the first to be offered a vacant plot. This may not always be the site that they have originally chosen - it depends on where the vacancies are. Applicants are entitled to refuse an offer if it is not their preferred site without prejudice to any future offers.

It is also important to note that even if an applicant is at the top of the list for their preferred site, the plot may be offered to another applicant, if they are in the same postal district and have been waiting longer. This policy ensures priority is always given to those who have been waiting the longest.

How do I apply?

If you wish to apply for an allotment plot in one of the 42 sites in the Basingstoke area, you can complete the online form

Due to the length of the current waiting list, if you already have an allotment in Basingstoke we can't accept any further applications from you. In addition, we are only accepting new applications from one person per household.

What happens when I am offered a plot?

When you reach the top of the waiting list and qualify for an allotment you will be contacted. Arrangements will be made for the Site Representative to show you the plot on offer. Once you have seen the plot and have confirmed you wish to accept the offer a letter will be sent out to you enclosing a tenancy agreement for you to sign and return. You will also be advised in the letter what you need to pay and how to make payment.

What happens once I have paid/how do I obtain a key?

Once you have paid for your plot, your contact details are forwarded to the Allotment Area Representative who administers the keys. The Allotment Area Representative will contact you direct to confirm the arrangements for you to collect and pay for a key. There is a £20 deposit for the key payable upon collection.

Ill health or death of a plot holder

When a plot is given up as a result of ill health or death, a member of the family living at the same address has the right to take over tenancy of the plot. If there is a registered co-worker (a person who assists a tenant) who has been registered for longer than the next qualifying applicant on the waiting list, they can also apply and expect to take over the tenancy.

Allotment sites in rural areas

We only manage allotment sites in Basingstoke. If you live in the rural areas, you should contact your parish council to see if there are any allotment plots closer to you. For contact details for your parish council, please visit our webpage - Parish and Town Councils.

We are aware that there may be other allotment sites within Basingstoke and Deane some run by local organisations, including charities and it is worth looking at community magazines or information boards in your area to find out where they might be.