DEMAND for allotments is higher than ever as people look to cut costs by growing their own fruit and vegetables.

In an effort to cope with this, councils across south Essex have been checking all their allotment sites for overgrown plots, so they can be cleared and let to new people.

Southend Council recently cleared 133 plots, but 160 frustrated residents remain on its waiting list.

It’s a similar story in Castle Point, where there are 54 people waiting to take on allotments.

There are also about 300 people on Basildon Council’s waiting list.

Colin Riley, Castle Point councillor responsible for allotments, said: “There’s a genuine demand for allotments.

“We’re trying to help everyone who wants one.

“We’re seeing if overgrown plots could be brought back into use, or if any larger plots could be split into two.

“I used to run an allotment myself 30 years ago, when I lived in Collier Row, Romford.

“I’m still a keen gardener and have a vegetable plot in my garden nowadays.

“I would really encourage people to grow their own food.

“You can’t beat fresh vegetables and it is obviously a big cost saving.”

Basildon Council caused outrage last year when it chopped down at least a dozen mature trees in Victoria Park, Laindon, to make way for 100 new allotments.

This was scaled back to 40 allotments and residents interested in growing fruit and vegetables are now being shown around them.

Letting agreements have already been signed for at least 21 plots.

Lesley McLachlan, 60, from Basildon, grows fruit and vegetables at a more established site in Holden Gardens, Basildon.

There have been allotments at the site since the early days of the new town.

She explained some of the first people who moved to Basildon in the Fifties took on allotments there and are still running them today.

She said: “My allotment has been in the family for about 25 years. My parents started it and I got involved through helping them, then I took over as they passed away.

“I’ve got redcurrents, black currents, raspberries, and strawberries.

“I’ve also got a crab apple tree I make crab apple jelly from. Also potatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and spring onions.

“I do it because I’ve only got a small garden and can’t grow everything I want in it.

“New people tend to be offered half-size plots to start with. Then if they can manage it, they’ll be offered a whole one eventually.

“Some of the original allotment holders are in their seventies or eighties.

“They are gradually being replaced with younger people, so we have a good mix of ages.”

Donna Cannon, 42, from Westcliff, has run an allotment in Springfield Drive, Westcliff, for the past four years. She said she would recommend it to anyone.

She said: “It’s like a little community here. Lots of people with plots know one another. My nine year-old daughter has lots of friends, who are children of other people with plots.

“It’s fascinating for her. She knows the names of all the vegetables and how they’re grown, even things children probably aren’t normally interested in like asparagus.

“I’m a child minder and I take all the kids up there too. They absolutely love it.”

“There are hundreds of plots here and people from all different cultures keep them, including Filipinos, Poles, and Italians. There’s an open day every August, where a live band performs and we have the judging of the best fruit and vegetables.

“It’s a really nice thing to do for people of all ages. Retired people obviously have the most time to look after plots, so they’re immaculate.”