Welcome to the Storrington Allotment web pages. The website was initially built to persuade Storrington & Sullington Parish Council not to build on the Amberley Road Allotment Site. Their proposal for this site was resoundingly rejected in a village ballot. These pages will now be used to further the interests of Allotment Holders in Storrington & Sullington and S.A.G.A ,the organization formed to support them.  Self Management for Amberley Road and Ravenscroft Allotments | Our main aim , following the village ballot, is to secure and improve the resources available to current and future allotment holders. We see great scope for dramatically reducing the waiting list for allotments by proper management of the two remaining sites in the parish. To this end we have made a proposal to the parish for self management of the two sites. The proposal can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.
Development can be followed on our diary page. In general things are progressing but rather slowly. | | Proposal For Self-Management Sept 2008 |
| | Storrington Allotment Growers Association | We have established the Storrington Allotment Growers Association ( S.A.G.A.) This is not to be confused with the less youthful organization of the same name. S.A.G.A exists to further self-management of the Storrington allotments. Its aims are identified in the constution. These are to:
- Make the allotments safe, peaceful and enjoyable
- Work with nature not fight against it
- Support tenants and their growing interests
- Maintain plots in good condition
- Encourage members to observe conditions of tenancy
- Retain the full area of Allotments as such
- Support the principle of allotments and conduct negotiations with the local authority and private landlords for the use of gardening land.
- Take action to protect members against damage, trespass and theft
- Obtain a supply of seeds, fertilizers, tools and other horticultural equipment on behalf of members
- Arrange lecture, film shows,demonstrations, competitions and other social events
- Co-operating with other gardening associations and environmental organizations in matters of mutual interest
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| A Big Thank You to the parishioners of Storrington & Sullington |
I received a call from Jeannie Knight, news editor of the West Sussex Gazette, today ( 22nd July 2008 ) and I'm delighted to be able to pass on the news that the parishioners of Storrington & Sullington have voted against the so called "Allotment Strategy" by a majority of approximately 68%.
I understand that this will be a difficult defeat for the Parish Council but we all look forward to working with them in the near future to maximize the availability and quality of allotments to all the people of Storrington & Sullington.
On this subject a supporter has told me that West Sussex County Council may well be happy to talk of a longer term commitment on the Ravenscroft site. |
| The Ballot is Finally Here ! |  The ballot is now on the village website ( Village Ballot ) and delivered to some voters. The closure date is now settled as the 14th July 2008. This differs from the flyer sent out by the Parish Council ( 9th ) and e-mails (15th) and bizarrely in the ballot , Monday 15th July ( a date that does not exist ), but now we have it.
The ballot has a short summary of the Councils "Allotment Strategy" reduced to three points. These are, to further summarize: Increase the number of allotments at no cost and to use the revenues in the Parish, to increase the number of available plots to 60 at a new site in Fryern Rd and to build 29 houses on the existing site.
In the full "Allotment Strategy" sent to the allotment holders it was clearly stated that revenue from the sale would be used, in part, to encourage Southern Water to re-prioritize sewerage improvements in Storrington. This is a misuse of Parish Funds.
There is no point having 60 Allotments on a site that is unsuitable for Allotments and is inaccessible. There are currently approximately 20 plots at Ravenscroft available until 2012.The Allotment holders at Amberley Rd believe that by better management and reorganizing the plots we can provide up to 28 plots on this site. This gives us time to produce a sensible Allotment Strategy that does not focus solely on raising money for the Parish.
By building on the borders of the old village we diminish one of the areas that make this village a special place to live. We also loose the continuity and community that the allotments provide. I for one harbor a romantic image of my daughters having the opportunity to have a plot at Amberley Rd where their dad once had his allotment.
Please vote against the wrong-headed so called strategy so that we can produce a sensible approach to the allotments and preserve our village for all of us.
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| What the Parish Proposes |  On the 5th of June 2008 the Amberley Road allotment holders received a letter from Storrington & Sullington Parish Council advising them that they would like to sell the site for housing. The adjacent home owners were also written to in the following days. You can read the letters at the link below.
To summarise the key points the Parish, wishing to provide allotments to satisfy the Allotment waitinglist, proposes to sell the Amberley Road site ( for excess of £1m ) to developers to fund the acquisition of a new 60 plot site at Fryern Rd ( the site we understand will cost approx £20,000). A large part of the additional funds raised are to be used to encourage Southern Water to improve the sewers in the Parish.
Letters 3rd June 2008 |
|  Our ResponseLocal residents and allotment holders oppose this proposal on the following grounds:
The proposed new allotment site is unsuitable for its purpose ( poor soil ) and is not easily reached by the people who currently use Amberley Road as it is on the outskirts of Storrington. Most or all allotment holders will need to drive there.
The land was gifted by Parham Estate for the parishioners of Storrington to use for growing food not for building houses .
The infrastructure surrounding Amberley Road cannot support the proposed development which we understand to be up to 29, 2 to 3 bedroom houses.
Selling of the land to subsidise a wealthy corporate entity ( Southern Water ) to prioritise the sewerage system improvements in the parish is a misuse of Parish funds. It is wholly the responsibility of Southern Water to manage wastewater systems and that is why we as householders pay their bills.
This part of the village is really the "Old Village" area of Storrington. Once large developments impinge on this we will have lost more than allotments but to no small extent the nature , shape and history of our community.
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|  Allotments in StorringtonTwo years ago there were three allotment sites in Storrington; Ryecroft lane, Ravenscroft and Amberley Road.
Amberley Road has a proud history having been gifted by Parham Estate "to be held in trust as an allotment for the labouring poor of the parish of Storrington" in 1858. These documents can be seen by following the Inclosure link below.
Ryecroft was closed down as the landowners ( the church) required it to be returned. The future of Ravenscroft was in great doubt and the Parish Council was unable to offer more than a years lease at a time and informed the allotment holders that the leases were unlikely to be renewed. This lead to the site being run down and many of the plots being vacant. The vacancy rate was somewhat exacerbated by the Parish charging a £50 deposit for all allotment holders across the Parish Allotments.
I personally moved from Ravenscroft to Amberley Road last year having been advised that this would be a secure plot.
Ravenscroft now has a new lease of life ( 4 Years ) but with a 6 months termination period in the contract meaning that Allotment Holders can be asked to give up their sites at 6 months notice.
Amberley Roads future seemed secure, with the Parish and the Allotment association discussing the association managing the plot
Inclosure Settlement 1858 |
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