Small holding
The term small holding essentially refers to farming that operates under a small-scale agriculture model, land or pasture used in the growing of crops or intensive rearing of animals for food consumption. The conditions for registering a small holding in the UK usually relate to tax issues and VAT, basic payment issues and livestock registrations.
For the purposes of the Small Holdings Act of 1892 it may mean land acquired by a council which exceeds one acre and either does not exceed fifty acres, or, if exceeding fifty acres, is of an annual value for the purposes of the income tax not exceeding fifty pounds. The Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, placed a duty on local authorities to provide sufficient allotments according to demand, making provisions for local authorities to compulsory purchase land to provide allotments, the Act was updated and Small Holdings and Allotments Act of 1926.
Allotment is a related term, to which The Allotments Act 1922 should be used as reference, which strengthened the rights of allotment holders, further changes in the subsequent Allotments Act 1925 created statutory allotments. Other subsequent legislation relating to allotments and in some cases small holdings, apart from the above is the Localism Act 2011.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Allotment.
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- Brownfield land.
- Community right to reclaim land.
- Compact sustainable cities.
- Designated sites.
- Garden.
- Green belt.
- Green roof.
- Localism act.
- Low maintenance plants.
- National Allotment Week.
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- Planting.
- Rain garden.
- Seeding and turfing.
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