Every allotment in Bristol and how many spaces they all have

Growing your own veg and tending your own little plot of earth has been a fundamental necessity and joy for humans since the first agricultural revolution about 7,000 years ago.

The people of Bristol switched from hunting and gathering their food along the banks of the River Avon to planting seeds and growing it thousands of years ago, instantly giving them a settled edge over the people who still carried on relying on whatever they could find in the neighbourhood.

Fast forward 7,000 years, and there is still that divide - between the people who have to rely on whatever they can find, and afford, in the shops, and those who are safe in the knowledge that they've got a nice harvest of veg coming their way.

There are thousands of allotment plots in the city, spread around no fewer than 112 allotment sites. Some are huge, some are small, but with more and more of us living in flats, maisonettes and places with no garden, demand for allotments is at a peacetime high.

Of those 112 allotments, 18 are not administered by Bristol City Council, and have their own application systems, but anyone can ask, and get put on the waiting list for a site.

Aerial view of Kennel Lodge allotments in Bower Ashton

They come up regularly, and there is always a fairly steady stream of plots that are technically vacant and waiting to be allocated. But there are always more people on the waiting list, than there are plots available at any one time.

So where are you most likely to quickly get a plot? Obviously, most people will want to get an allotment patch close to where they live - so they can walk there - but many people will drive or cycle across the city to their own little corner of gardening heaven.

As of right now, there are 9,369 people on the waiting list, and a total of 4.003 plots in total.

Of those, 443 are technically 'available plots' in the process of being reallocated.

The availability varies continuously, so Bristol City Council website provides an ‘Allotment Finder’ to check it, which covers Bristol allotments managed by the council or on land leased by the council. There you can see the vacancies on each allotment, and you can add your name to the waiting list of the one you wish to get. In the waiting list, Bristol residents will always have priority. 

How does it work?

Once you have chosen a plot you can visit it before deciding whether you want it.

If you do, then you will get a legally binding contract. The council will send you an invoice that has to be paid by the end of September and after that you pay yearly. 

You can also request discounts for some specific reasons, as people who receive council tax reduction or housing benefits can get a 50% discount.

Every Bristol allotment and the spaces available

Arlington Road

Number of plots: 15 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 56

Ashley Vale Allotments

Number of plots: 169 Number of vacant plots: 39 Number on waiting list: 252

Ashley Down allotments

Atwood Drive Allotments

Number of plots: 89 Number of vacant plots: 7 Number on waiting list: 21

Barracks Lane Allotments

Number of plots: 13 Number of vacant plots: 7 Number on waiting list: 23

Bath Road Allotments

Number of plots: 73 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 4

Beaufort Road Allotments

Number of plots: 25 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 39

Bedminster Down C Allotments

Number of plots: 146 Number of vacant plots: 28 Number on waiting list: 96

Bedminster Down E Allot & Smallholding

Number of plots: 7 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 31

Bifield Road Allotments

Number of plots: 61 Number of vacant plots: 7 Number on waiting list: 10

Bishopsworth Allotments

Number of plots: 47 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 26

Bourchier Gardens Allotments

Number of plots: 12 Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 6

A transformed piece of land into an allotment by Don Jones (Bristol Post)

Broadfield Road Allotments

Number of plots: 9 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 23

Brook Road Allotments

Number of plots: 18 Number of vacant plots: 4 Number on waiting list: 24

Brooklea Allotments

Number of plots: 30 Number of vacant plots: 5 Number on waiting list: 34

Canford B Allotments

Number of plots: 29 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 22

Canford E Allotments

Number of plots: 78 Number of vacant plots: 12 Number on waiting list: 52

Chalet Gardens

Number of plots: 23 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 24

Charlton Road Allotments

Number of plots: 58 Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 15

Clancys Farm Allotments

Number of plots: 5 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 28

Clay Bottom Allotments

Number of plots: 15 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 94

College Road Allotments

Number of plots: 59 Number of vacant plots: 6 Number on waiting list: 34

Colstons Field Allotments

Number of plots: 51 Number of vacant plots: 5 Number on waiting list: 66

Cranbrook Road Allotments

Number of plots: 38 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 164

Craydon Grove Allotments

Number of plots: 7 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 4

(Michael Lloyd Photography)

Dangerfield Avenue Allotments

Number of plots: 7 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 6

Dovercourt Road Allotments

Number of plots: 45 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 19

Downend Road Allotments

Number of plots: 11 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 21

Dubbers Lane Allotments

Number of plots: 33 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 51

Enterprise Allotments

Number of plots: 21 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 45

Falcondale Road Allotments

Number of plots: 34 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 26

(Michael Lloyd Photography)

Fortfield Road Allotments

Number of plots: 80 Number of vacant plots: 6 Number on waiting list: 7

Gifford Road Allotments

Number of plots: 16 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 6

Goffenton Drive Allotments

Number of plots: 32 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 25

Goulston Road Allotments

Number of plots: 27 Number of vacant plots: 13 Number on waiting list: 19

Grittleton Road Allotments

Number of plots: 29 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 17

Half Acre Lane Allotments

Number of plots: 24 Number of vacant plots: 7 Number on waiting list: 14

Allotment tenants at Oatlands Avenue Allotments in Whitchurch are banding together to improve security after thieves raided 46 sheds on the site. (google maps)

High Grove Allotments

Number of plots: 11 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 7

Horfield A Allotments

Number of plots: 11 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 52

Horfield B Allotments

Number of plots: 48 Number of vacant plots: 13 Number on waiting list: 64

Hudds Hill Allotments

Number of plots: 10 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 11

Kenmare Road Allotments

Number of plots: 16 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 9

Kersteman Road Allotments

Number of plots: 67 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 183

King Street Allotments

Number of plots: 1 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 3

Layfield Allotments

Number of plots: 34 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 5

(Michael Lloyd Photography)

Lynmouth Road Allotments

Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 33

Malmesbury Close Allotments

Number of plots: 10 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 112

Marshfield Road

Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 21

Metford Road Allotments

Number of plots: 91 Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 185

Perretts Park Allotments

Number of plots: 112 Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 213

Plummers Hill Allotments

Number of plots: 42 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 26

Redcatch E Allotments

Number of plots: 24 Number of vacant plots: 1 Number on waiting list: 37

Redland Green Allotments

Number of plots: 111 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 279

A beautiful autumn sunrise over allotments in St. Werburghs. (SWNS)

Rock Allotments

Number of plots: 64 Number of vacant plots: 4 Number on waiting list: 24

Royate Hill Allotments

Number of plots: 76 Number of vacant plots: 5 Number on waiting list: 123

Sea Mills Signal Station Allotments

Number of plots: 52 Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 35

Sir Johns Lane Allotments

Number of plots: 77 Number of vacant plots: 15 Number on waiting list: 78

Snowdon Road Allotments

Number of plots: 35 Number of vacant plots: 7 Number on waiting list: 24

Southmead Allotments

Number of plots: 76 Number of vacant plots: 4 Number on waiting list: 26

Speedwell A Allotments

Number of plots: 28 Number of vacant plots: 4 Number on waiting list: 17

Speedwell Allotments

Number of plots: 53 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 10

Springfield Allotments

Number of plots: 38 Number of vacant plots: 6 Number on waiting list: 34

St George A Allotments

Number of plots: 26 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 22

St Giles Allotments

Number of plots: 20 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 2

St Johns Crescent

Number of vacant plots: 11 Number on waiting list: 75

St Peters Rise Allotments

Number of plots: 57 Number of vacant plots: 6 Number on waiting list: 29

Stanley Terrace Allotments

Number of plots: 2 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 26

Stapleton Allotments

Number of plots: 108 Number of vacant plots: 29 Number on waiting list: 59

Stibbs Hill Allotments

Number of plots: 12 Number of vacant plots: 10 Number on waiting list: 47

Stoke Lane Allotments

Number of plots: 18 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 68

Sturminster Road Allotments

Number of vacant plots: 13 Number on waiting list: 22

Swanmoor Crescent Allotments

Number of plots: 8 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 11

Talbot Avenue Allotments

Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 9

Talbot Road Allotments

Number of plots: 187 Number of vacant plots: 5 Number on waiting list: 84

Thingwall Park Allotments

Number of plots: 293 Number of vacant plots: 8 Number on waiting list: 113

Tormarton Crescent

Number of vacant plots: 2 Number on waiting list: 4

Trymside Allotments

Number of plots: 6 Number of vacant plots: 0 Number on waiting list: 12

Tynings Field Allotments

Number of plots: 44 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 6

Wedmore Vale Allotments

Number of plots: 77 Number of vacant plots: 14 Number on waiting list: 64

Whitefield Road Allotments

Number of plots: 102 Number of vacant plots: 14 Number on waiting list: 19

Whittock Road Allotments

Number of plots: 41 Number of vacant plots: 21 Number on waiting list: 19

Wickham Hill Allotments

Number of plots: 52 Number of vacant plots: 18 Number on waiting list: 24

Woodcroft Road Allotments

Number of plots: 23 Number of vacant plots: 3 Number on waiting list: 22

Woodwell Road Allotments

Number of plots: 29 Number of vacant plots: 4 Number on waiting list: 14