Dear All,
The above notice has been issued by OCC and is a temporary measure.
If you have lots of green waste on your plot, composting is a good way of disposing of it and then you will have lovely compost to add and improve your soil in the following year.
URGENT REQUEST THAT ALLOTMENT USERS DO NOT HAVE ANY BONFIRES FOR THE DURATION OF THE CV EMERGENCY
Is there a good reason for this Bridget? I understand this comes from above, not from you, but I am also aware that there is a strong anti-bonfire lobby. It would be good to debate this sometime (I am a fan of beneath the surface bonfires – which are almost impossible to do while keeping to the allotment rules (unless you sleep beside it all night). The issue is not ‘green’ waste but last years cut down brambles, sweetcorn stalks etc. Why is the CV emergency a reason, apart from using it to silence opposition to banning anything? Maybe don’t ride our bicycles to the allotment during Covid-19 in case we fall off and clog up A&E?
I use my old sweetcorn stalks to act as a base for my compost. Because they are coarse, they allow air in at the bottom of the heap and, if any are still not rotted down when I empty the compost bin, I just move them over to the next heap.
I understand that there is a very strong anti fire lobby at our allotment and I believe our restrictions are amongst the tightest of all the allotments in Oxford. However, I also understand that the fire brigade have seen a massive increase in out of control garden fires which is of course understandable in the current lockdown.
Our restrictions mean that those who need to have a fire have a very small window of opportunity which rather than cure the problem only exacerbates it. Everyone lights up at 5pm.
It is unreasonable to assume that fires can be done away with by ‘composting’ particularly if you are clearing a plot. My half plot had a veritable mountain of old wood trimmings and many a tree trunk. It had to be burnt. There was no option and it still isn’t done.
That work will now have to cease for the duration.
I agree that burning green waste is a waste of a very good resource and fires should be a last resort but the current rules are not fit for purpose and should be revisited once the current crisis is over.
George
Plot 97
Peter, George
Completely accept your points.
The national and local regulations on bonfires have not changed. It seems that OCC are getting higher than normal complaints given that more people are stuck at home.
We are simply relaying their request. It is not a change in the law and the basic framework of statutory nuisance remains in place as far as I can tell.
So it’s simply a request to look at alternatives, wherever possible.
I will obey the rule but I reserve the age old allotment holder’s right to grumble…. Have a good weekend everyone.
Could we perhaps consider getting another skip for disposal of non-compostable waste from our plots whilst we deal with restrictions from the covid-19 emergency?
Having read the above, I would like to add that all green waste is compostable, couch grass, and all perennial weeds included. The only waste you might have to burn are the cuttings from fruit trees and fruit bushes such as red currant. They can be done after dusk on a winters evening.
Big bonfire on a plot backing onto Howard St tonight. I left my plot,113FL about 6.45pm and the smoke was flowing along the backs of the houses in the direction of Iffley Rd. I live on Howard St at number 66, my next door neighbour was livid that her washing had to be rinsed and dried again because it stank of smoke. Such a sociable and community minded thing to do,
I think the problem with bonfires that leads to smoke is heat. There are several metal bin/incinerators which burn much hotter than a regular fire, and if placed sensibly are safe to leave smouldering. If people really must have fires, these are probably the least anti-social way to do it.
Are bonfires now permitted? There have been yes and no answers to this circulating the site. Might be good to put signs up on site either way – was really embarrassing to tell another plot holder not to keep burning stuff when it appears that they had been told they could. Clarification would be great!
Yes. I agree with Emma. What is the situation?
I had to leave twice – coughing from the ‘green’ smoke from an neighbour’s fire in the past three weeks. How must this be for people with weakened lungs, immune systems? And it made a lot of smoke all across the allotments and maybe even to the houses.
Whatever changes to rules are they should be clearly displayed on the gate including duration of the changes and when it will go back to usual rules.My request is for the members not to approach or intimidate other plotholders unless there has been a obious evidence of deliberate braking of the rules agreed upon.Otherwise it could lead to members feeling upset or intimidated without intentional wrongdoing on ther part.
My requst is not to approach and intimidate the allotment holders personaly over rules which have not been established with clarity.Any new rules should be clearly displayd at the entrance with clear duration in force .It could be very upseting and intimidating to be approach by another member if the rules were not in fact intentionaly breached .