Thank you all for your replies, latest update, I spoke to the previous plot holder over the weekend, he told me the reason he had given op on the plot was because of the water, apparently the only things he was able to grow were onions and beetroot even in the raised beds, everything else he planted rotted in the ground.
Even though it has been a long wait for the allotment, I feel that it is not really worth the effort to continue as there is also a problem with mares tail. The search continues.