AllotmentsIn September 2008 a letter was issued to all redisents of Ajax Close, Chineham to advise them of the parish council's proposal to site some allotments behind Ajax Close. This idea was first spoken of approximately two years prior to the issue of the letter, when residents of Ajax Close met with the parish council and, at that time, there was general support for the idea.
Chineham is a residential area that was developed with little thought given to open spaces and certainly none for allotments. The parish council has a statutory obligation to provide allotments when requested by residents and there is currently a waiting list of approximately 50 people.
So, the proposed solution seeks to take land, that has been used by travellers at different times, to provide a reasonable number of allotments while minimising the impact to residents of Ajax Close. The solution would also retain the nearby play area.
The draft proposal is for 34 plots as shown on the plans below. The site will be managed by the parish council, who will do all they can to ensure that the allotments and their users cause as little disruption to Ajax Close residents as possible.
Some features of the proposed allotment site are :
- A pad-locked gate – each allotment holder will have a key
- A security fence
- A toilet on site with mains water and sewage
- A water supply for 4 troughs
- An internal access gravel path from the gateway, leading off an access road.
It is envisaged that there will be a degree of soft landscaping to reduce any visual impact that the site may have. There will be no refuse collection from the site as allotment holders will be responsible for removing all their own non-compostable waste.
There will be no access to the allotments via Ajax Close - there will be only one entrance to the site, off Hanmore Road via the access road. The allotments are for the people of Chineham so access will only be allowed inside the site for vehicles to load and unload, and there will only be a small car parking area off the access road.
While the funding for this has been agreed in principle by the borough council, it has not yet been formally agreed by the portfolio holder there, but it is anticipated this will happen during December 2008. The parish council will keep you informed of the outcome of this decision and hopes that by this time next year the allotments will be ready to open.
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