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Contents 1 A new Hut for Greenbank Lane Allotments 1.1 What for 1.1.1 Needs 1.2 What from? 1.2.1 Materials 1.3 What next? 1.3.1 Funding

A new Hut for Greenbank Lane Allotments

This page is intended for committee members to collect ideas and collaborate on a 'wish list' to be sent to Comtechsa. Please login using a new account or the account details I emailed.

What for

• The allotment is run by a management committe that meets at least once a month through out the year in all weathers.

• we would like the allotment community to be able to have regular social events.

• The members of the society have AGMs and EGMs that require a large enough meeting space.

• Our allotment community includes a range of community groups that have social events, meetings, workshops, training days. they could access space.

• As an eco build we could be an open resource for external groups and institutions.

• We could generate revenue for the society by renting space to outside groups.?

• Study centre? link with local schools, university, colleges, ....

Needs

We need a communal building and stores for committee meetings, AGMs, storing compost, fertilizers, garden chemicals, sundries...

Additionally the building could be used for :

• Social events of the society

• Shelter for plot holders

• Tea/coffee making facilities

• Educational events for plot holders or outside groups

• Toilets, something eco that avoids needing sewage drains?

• Outdoor cooking area, shelter from rain, sitting area

• cooking facilities inside? might be needed for renting out to 'groups'

• Also outside recycling, storage areas, council criteria includes bays for rubble, glass, wood etc, for collection, this will replace regular skips. additionally we could have communal composting? and a bay for sharing reusable resources.

• a secure building,but i like the thought of when its in use it could have wide openings that extend the interior to the exterior areas. if that makes sense.?!

What from?

Materials

The council offers a converted shipping container. This would be a pragmatic and possibly vandal proof solution but we hope to have something we can feel proud off and that uses natural and/or recycled materials to reflect some of the ideas and idiosyncracies of allotment gardening. In the past a few plot holders have visited a course (Building By Design) and one result was a model of a building that would use renewable energy sources, (solar, wind) and natural building materials:

• Cob

• Strawbale

• Wood

• Earthship, a zero carbon building. it heats and cools itself, powers itself, harvests water and teats own sewage!!!!!

  check out   http://www.lowcarbon.co.uk/

• reclaimed brick

• solar hot water

• photovoltaic cells

• green roof (sedum, grass)

  here is a lovely photo of a sedum roof

• composting toilets

• rain water collection

What next?

Funding

Varous funding bodies have already been mentioned.