Plot numbers thicken in wake of growing demand from gardeners

The city council yesterday announced the opening of three new sites - at Stockbridge, Pilrig and Drumbryden - creating an extra 68 plots across the city.

But there are plans for yet more sites to be converted to allotments, helping reduce the lengthy waiting list of those looking to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Drumbryden, near Wester Hailes, became the latest site to open when it was officially unveiled yesterday.

It follows on from the creation of new sites at Inchkeith Court, off Leith Walk, and India Place in Stockbridge.

The Stockbridge site, which was unveiled by council officer Carol Duncan earlier this year, was formerly an overgrown corner of the New Town where a long-forgotten row of tenements once stood.

More than 90,000 was spent converting the patch of wasteland, which was the site of Georgian housing until 1967, into 21 allotment plots.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the council's environment leader, said: "In launching these three new allotment sites, we are hoping to build on the success of our original allotment strategy as well as supporting the increased number of people on the allotment plot waiting list.

"Allotments are excellent for contributing to a year-round healthy lifestyle and help to promote sustainability and wellbeing."

He added: "People enjoy growing their own vegetables and flowers and these three new spaces will be a much-needed boost for the city in future years."

The waiting list for an allotment in the city now numbers nearly 2500, up by almost 100 since the council launched a special allotment strategy last year.

Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack said opening three allotments was not enough.

She said: "The announcement of new allotments is to be welcomed, but three new sites will do little to impact on the waiting list of 2500.

"Demand is continuing to grow but space is at a premium, especially in the city.

"The recommendations of the Grow Your Own working group, along with the initiatives already under way in Edinburgh, show the way forward to develop allotments and community growing but this requires government action. The Scottish Government needs to take a more active lead to encourage more people to grow their own by, for example, providing clear guidance to develop unused public sector land and setting targets for allotment development."

A new report detailing future plans for the city allotments is expected to go before councillors at next month's transport and environment committee.