allotments in chelmsford - Love Your Chelmsford

Allotments

We currently own and manage 23 allotment sites in the Chelmsford area, with nearly 1,000 plots to rent. Chelmsford also has several allotment sites managed privately or by Parish Councils. If you are interested in one of these, you will need to contact them directly.

Each allotment site has its own unique character and sense of community, giving you the opportunity to grow your own fresh fruit and vegetables.

Find an Allotment

Costs

- Standard £6 per rod
- Concession £3 per rod
- Water £2.20 per rod (no concessions on water)
- Keys £10.00 refundable deposit per key
A rod is equivalent to 25 square metres. Most plots are approximately 5 rods, but we do have several other sized plots depending on the availability and site.

These prices are annual and are valid until 31 March 2025.

You will qualify for a concession if you are:
- Over 60
- A full-time student

Apply for a plot

If you would like to rent a Chelmsford allotment plot, please fill in a request form and we will add you to our database. You can only be added to one site, so please consider your choice before contacting us. We will look to allocate you a site closest to where you live, however other sites with available plots may require you to drive.

Once we have received your initial interest, your information will be added to the allotment database and you will receive an acknowledgement email.

We normally allocate plots during the winter period, from October through to the end of March. This gives you time to prepare the plot for the spring. It is much harder to work a plot when the ground is hard. If an existing tenant gives up a cultivated plot, we will allocate it immediately to ensure it does not fall fallow.

If you decide to take a plot, you will need to:

Pay a £50.00 refundable deposit within 14 days
Sign an Allotment Agreement
Pay any rental and water fees
Pay any allotment key deposits (if applicable – up to a maximum of three)

You can only start cultivating the plot once the paperwork is in place.

Allotment Plot Request

Once you're a tenant

We will invoice you for your plot on or around 1 April each year. You must pay within 30 days.

Water is available from April to September depending on weather conditions.

We carry out plot inspections and maintenance checks between April and September each year. This gives us the time to check you are cultivating your plot and to inspect the site for any maintenance issues.

You are not allowed to have or use any of these items on the allotment site:

Hosepipes
Glass
Carpet
Bonfires
BBQs
Trees (other than dwarf stock)

You must get permission from us to put up:

A shed, which must be no more than 6 ft x 4 ft on a paving slab base (no concrete)
A polytunnel or any other structure

It is your responsibility to:

Put a permanent plot number to the front of your plot and/or shed
Cut the pathways either side and to the rear of your plot
Help keep the site secure by using the main gates to enter and exit and not accessing the site by any other means, e.g. making gaps in hedges, etc., as this reduces security to the allotment site.

You can find the full terms and conditions in your Allotment Agreement.