Details of the district’s most sought-after allotments have been revealed with figures showing the waiting list at one location in Bingley has reached a staggering 178.

The site at Beck Lane has 41 plots, and is among five extremely popular allotments in the district, all with waiting lists of more than 100 people.

These include: l Caroline Street and Northcliffe allotments in Shipley , both with 128 people waiting for a plot to become available l West Lane in Haworth with a list of 109 l Red Beck in Shipley where there are 106 people waiting.

The figures, which are up to date as of the beginning of this month, show that the Caroline Street allotment, with only 15 plots, has the largest waiting list in proportion to the number of plots on the site – at 8.5 times.

The Telegraph & Argus reported earlier this year that a record number of people had applied for Bradford Council allotments, with some facing a decade-long wait for a plot.

The Beck Lane and Northcliffe sites were listed at the most popular and are where the ten-year waiting lists exist.

According to the latest figures, 1,996 people are on a waiting list for an allotment, with the total number of plots to be found in the district 1,466.

In an effort to reduce the record waiting lists, the Council is cracking down on people who do not use their plots. A requirement is now place that tenants have three-quarters of the plots under cultivation at all times, and that new tenants should be working their plots within three months of taking them on.

Anyone not using their allotment will be contacted and asked to explain why, and if it continues to lie unattended the tenancy could be taken away.

Belinda Gaynor, the Council’s operational estate manager, said: “At present the Council does not have any plans to create new allotment sites. However we are always happy to talk to groups with appropriate skills and resources about proposals to create allotments or community growing areas on suitable unused sites in the district.”

Carlton Smith, of Bradford Community Environment Project, which works with the Council to run free taster sessions, said a group of residents in the Park Street area of Saltaire were looking to create a food growing area on a vacant piece of land. The next BCEP start-your-own allotment sessions will be held on September 8 and October 13, from 10am to noon at the Scotchman Road allotments in Bradford. For information, call (01274) 223236.