Local authorities across the United Kingdom have been offering allotments up to 85 times smaller than the traditional plot size as they cope with unprecedented demand, a survey by the Association for Public Sector Excellence (APSE) has found.
The APSE annual survey reported that roughly three quarters of councils (76 percent) have reduced the size of standard allotments. There are an estimated 330,000 plots of rented land in the UK and about 175,000 people on waiting lists, with some applicants reportedly waiting for up to 15 years.
The classic allotment measures about 300 square yards — a size long associated with enough produce to feed a family of four. The APSE survey found fewer than a third of local authorities (32 percent) still offer plots of that size. Half-sized plots of roughly 150 square yards and quarter plots of about 75 square yards are now common. Nearly one in five councils (17 percent) provide plots of around 35 square yards described as "micro" or "kitchen garden" spaces, and some councils have introduced 3.5 square yard "starter plots" for newcomers.
"In the face of acute demand and budget pressures, they are not just maintaining allotment services but actively reimagining them," APSE report author Matt Ellis said. "By creating smaller plots, they are making them accessible to a new generation of gardeners with busy modern lifestyles."
Councils have also reacted to rising costs by increasing rents for some plots. The survey found 15 percent of full-sized allotments now cost more than £140 a year to rent, with some letting fees reaching about £250. The proportion of authorities charging less than £60 a year has fallen by almost a third since 2019.
Demand and long waiting lists have prompted a range of responses from councils, including closing waiting lists in some areas and subdividing larger plots. Waiting lists remain long in several cities: Portsmouth City Council reported 7,420 applicants, Edinburgh City Council 6,846, and Bristol City Council 6,466. A separate analysis by building materials supplier Dino Decking found people typically spend about four years on allotment waiting lists, while Freedom of Information requests previously showed waits of up to 15 years in parts of London.
Local authorities have introduced different models to broaden access. Brighton and Hove City Council offers 30 square yard "micro" plots and 12 square yard plots for people with limited mobility or wheelchair users. The London Borough of Havering has trialled 3.5 square yard starter plots to allow first-time gardeners to try horticulture without committing to larger spaces.
The surge in interest has been linked to the cost-of-living squeeze, which has driven more households to grow their own fruit and vegetables. APSE and allotment groups say budget pressures on councils are also a factor in changes to provision.
The changes have provoked debate about the future of allotment land. Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, criticised approvals by Labour MP Angela Rayner for the sale of several allotment sites, saying the sales threatened community growing spaces. Authorities have approved some sales to make way for housing in cash-strapped areas; one site in Storrington, West Sussex, was sold for a development of 78 homes, according to campaigning reports.
Representatives of allotment organisations said smaller plots can broaden participation but do not replace the role of traditional allotments. Mike Farrell, chair of the National Allotment Society, said shrinking plots is "a crafty way of reducing waiting lists" but acknowledged that smaller, more manageable plots can help people with full-time work get involved in gardening.
Diane Appleyard of the National Allotment Society described long waits for full-size plots in Bristol but said a quarter plot meets her needs. "I grow soft fruit and veg like broccoli, kale, sweetcorn, squash and runner beans," she said. "A quarter is enough for me now."
Television gardeners Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock, who have previously advocated dividing allotments, said offering half or quarter plots could reduce waiting lists and introduce more people to growing their own food. Titchmarsh said such an approach could cut waiting lists and "introduce people to the delights (and challenges) of growing their own food." Dimmock added that many plots are too large for an average couple and that smaller plots would be more practical for many people.
Campaigners and local authorities said the next challenge will be balancing demand, affordability and the protection of designated allotment land amid ongoing financial pressures on councils and continued public interest in food growing. APSE said its findings reflect councils adapting services to meet changing demand, but warned that long-term planning will be needed to secure allotment provision for communities.
Earlier research by Greenpeace and other groups has tracked a long-term rise in applicants for allotments; Greenpeace noted tens of thousands on waiting lists in previous years. Councils, allotment societies and campaigners said sustained public interest and policy attention would be needed to ensure a range of plot sizes and secure sites for future growers.