GARDENING enthusiasts hoping for an allotment plot in Clevedon could be in for a very long wait after the town council decided to close its already extensive waiting list.

The number of people registered and hoping for a plot at one of Clevedon Town Council’s six allotment sites stands at 172.

The list has now been closed until the number reduces to 100, which could be many years away unless the council finds a suitable piece of land where more plots can be created.

Councillor Carole Wring, chairman of the town council’s allotments committee, said: “We have been looking for a piece of land within the parish boundary for a number of years.

“Our waiting list when I first joined the council about 20 years ago was at about 30, which we thought was high at the time.

“Now there are 172 people on the list and it has been higher than that in the past.

“We have decided to close it otherwise it is just too long.

“Sometimes it can take about four years for someone to get a plot. If they prefer a certain site, it can take even longer.

“It is a popular past time.”

The allotments committee has set aside money to pay for the development of a piece of land into an allotment but the search continues for a suitable site within the parish boundary that can be drained and cultivated.

Earlier this year, the town council identified a piece of land suitable for allotment use but it was unsuccessful in buying the land at auction.

Cllr Wring added: “Other councils have closed their waiting lists - it is a problem nationally.

“With all the media information, healthier living issues have come into play.”