Please read in conjunction with Ealing Council’s Allotment Rules and Health and Safety Rules, Ealing Council’s Allotment Cultivation Guidelines and your signed Allotment Tenancy Confirmation. The Association reserves the right to review these rules as required. Before making any changes, FAA will give you a minimum of one month’s notice of such changes.

1. Your plot

The Association is responsible for the maintenance of the common parts. You are responsible for maintaining your own individual plot, all year round, in line with the Council’s rules. This includes removing all waste materials.
1.1 Condition
Plots are let as seen. Most plots become available because of the neglect of the previous tenant, and will need a significant amount of work to bring them up to the expected standard. Depending on the availability of (unpaid!) volunteers from the Association, some rubbish clearance may have taken place before the plot is let – this is not guaranteed.
1.2 Size
The plots were laid out and measured over 100 years ago, and plot boundaries may have changed over time. They may not measure exactly 5 or 10 poles any more.
• Plots will not be re-measured.
•Do not move any markers installed by the site co-ordinator
1.3 Sharing arrangements
The Council’s Cultivation Rules state that:
If help is obtained from others, the tenant is present to supervise the majority of the time. If, for any reason, the tenant cannot be present when others are cultivating the plot, then prior permission must be sought from the Site Manager.
Framfield has several vulnerable plot holders. Because of this, and because of security concerns,
permission must be sought in advance for ALL proposed sharing arrangements.
• The ‘sharers’ must be introduced to at least one of the elected officers.
• Keys should not be given to ‘sharers’ until permission has been given.
1.4 Carpet and weed block
If left for more than a season, both will disintegrate and fray (dangerous to wildlife and strimmers), and leach chemicals into the soil. They may stop weeds growing up for a while (note that nothing stops couch grass!), but they do not stop roots growing down and becoming entangled. This will cause huge problems for anyone coming along after you.
• The use of carpet as a mulch is not allowed.
• Weedblock should only be used on a temporary basis, eg over a few winter months.
1.5 Trees
Permission must be obtained from the FAA committee before planting any trees on your plot.

2. Maintenance of common parts

The Council’s rules state that all tenants must help with maintaining the site, for the benefit of everyone. The Association organises work parties on the first Saturday of each month.
• Tenants must attend at least three work parties a year, or contribute in other ways/ at other times as agreed with the officers.

3. Plot succession

There is no automatic succession or inheritance of plots, either by relatives or ‘sharers’.

4. Construction

All plans for the erection of fences, sheds, greenhouses, livestock houses and any other structures or erections must be submitted to the FAA committee for approval before being installed.
• Construction is not permitted before 8am or after 8pm.

5. Bonfires

• Individual bonfires, including braziers, are not allowed between 1 May and 30 September. Barbecues are permitted only in pans, not on open fires. This rule may be varied, eg in periods of drought.
• The Council’s bonfire rules must be followed at all times.
• When there is a supervised communal bonfire (on the day of a working party) items can only be added on the day, not before or after.
• No materials should be left that cannot be burnt according to the Council’s bonfire rules – for example, wet grass, plastics, roofing felt.
• No items brought from home can be added to bonfires (communal or individual).

6. Skips

Skips are occasionally hired by the committee. These are paid for from FAAs limited funds.
• Skips are intended for rubbish cleared from communal areas only.
• If there is room in the skip, rubbish may be accepted from individual plots. Priority is given to less able plot holders, new tenants and those without access to a car. If you are unable to move waste from your plot, help may available if there enough volunteers available. Waste must be left in a visible place at the end of your plot.
• No waste can be brought from home.
• Nothing illegal can be accepted, eg asbestos, chemicals or batteries
• Compostable materials are not allowed.
• No rubbish to be left next to the skip.

7. Driving on site

• Vehicles, including battery-powered bikes and scooters, can only be brought into the allotment site with permission.
• Parking is not allowed anywhere on site (or on an access road) without permission.
• Drive carefully and slowly on site.

8. Wildlife areas, including the pond

We share our land with lots of local wildlife, including several protected species. We have dedicate wildlife areas on site, including the area around the pond.
• Please respect all species, whether they have fur, feathers, prickles or scales. Please do not handle or disturb any of them.
• Please keep the wildlife areas and the pond clear of rubbish.
• Keep dogs out of the wildlife areas.
• The pond can be deep in the winter and the banks are steep and slippery. Please take particular care in this area.

9. Use of communal water tanks

• These are shared by everyone – please do not dump rubbish or clean barbecues in them.
• Fill them to the top when you leave – it will be safer for birds to use them without drowning, and it is better for plants (it helps chlorine to evaporate and the water to warm up).

10. Respect other people’s plots (including vacant plots)

Note: this includes unaccompanied children.

• Keep off other people’s plots unless you have permission.
• Do not pick any produce without permission from the plot holder.
• Do not dump anything or remove anything from other plots.
• Do not feed livestock without permission, or disturb them.

11. Dogs

You are reminded of the Council’s rule re dogs:
Any dog under your control must not be allowed onto any allotment but your own, and excrement must be removed from the site promptly. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.

12. Children

Parents are responsible for their children’s behaviour and safety at all times.

Framfield Allotments Association, October 2024