The number of people waiting for an allotment in the UK has almost doubled in the past 12 years. A recent Greenpeace study shows there are at least 174,183 outstanding applications across Britain, with an average wait of at least three years.
Bristol City Council tops the stats with 7,630 people waiting, Sunderland City Council has 7,293 and Portsmouth City Council 6,299. Yet these figures could be just the tip of the iceberg. “Many councils close the waiting list as soon as it reaches a certain limit, so the figures could be much higher,” says Dr JC Niala, who led the Freedom of Information request.
Interest in allotments rose during the Covid lockdowns, when people realised the health and recreational benefits of growing their own food. But demand hasn’t dwindled, driven by fears over food security and the cost of living. Allotments offer many other benefits that have won the attention of urban trendsetters, environmentalists and government stakeholders alike. Even the NHS recognises their value in keeping the population out of hospital.