A record number of people have applied for Bradford Council allotments – with some facing a decade-long wait for a plot.

About 2,000 people are now on the waiting list, with about 100 fresh inquiries coming in every month.

The most popular sites are Northcliffe, Shipley, and Beck Lane, Bingley, where ten-year waiting lists exist.

Other popular sites include those in Haworth, Esholt and Rawdon, as well as Greengates Queensbury, Thornton, Wyke and Wibsey.

“We have not seen so many on the waiting list,” said Janette Goodinson, the Council’s allotments officer. “People are shocked when we tell them how long the wait may be, but things change all the time and for many people it is usually less than the estimate.”

Plots are available on a handful of sites including Harewood Street in Barkerend and Cecil Avenue, off Great Horton Road. These have not been tended for years and are too overgrown to be allocated to those on the waiting lists. It is hoped new Council measures will bring them back into use.

Mrs Goodinson said: “We are investigating different ways of doing this and looking at options including working with different groups or with contractors.”

Other initiatives include the requirement that tenants have three-quarters of their plots under cultivation at all times, and that new tenants should be working their plots within three months of taking on the tenancy.

Sites will be inspected all-year round, not just in summer, and anyone not using their allotment will be contacted and asked to explain why. If it continues to lie unattended the tenancy could be taken away.

“We are cracking down on people who don’t use their plots,” said Mrs Goodinson, “But we do realise that it will be a while to bring them up to speed, and will give people time. We also take account of illness and other special circumstances.”

Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP), working in partnership with the Council, is running starter/training days using half-plots on Scotchman Road, where an open day is being held on Tuesday, July 10.

Jane Robinson, of BCEP, said: “You can start small and build on that. People see makeover programmes on TV and think you do it all in a day, but you just do it slowly and steadily.”

Rent-free starter plots are also available on areas that have been neglected.