How to apply for an allotment, how likely you are to get one and what happens next.
You can use Allotment Finder to:
- find an allotment near your home
- see if plots are available
- see how many people are on the waiting list
- view maps of the plots
A plot needs time (about 5 or 6 hours a week over the year) and commitment.
You can apply for a plot on one site only, because of high demand.
Extra applications will be deleted.
Apply online with Allotment Finder
Allotment finder covers Bristol allotments managed by the council or on land leased by the council.
Find more local allotments online.
Cost and discounts
Find out about rents and discounts you may be able to get.
When you accept a plot, you will receive an email from the Allotments Office explaining how you need to pay your interim rent. Payment needs to be made through our online shop within 7 working days or the offer will expire.
Your first invoice will include a one off £15 fee to cover administration costs.
Plot condition discounts are not applied to interim bill.
Likelihood of getting an allotment
Availability changes all the time, and is different at each allotment. Allotment Finder is kept up to date with details.
Some allotments have vacancies or short waiting lists. You can add your name to a waiting list.
You'll be given priority if you are a Bristol resident. If you're not a resident you should look for sites with little or no waiting list.
What happens next
If there's no waiting list, or once a plot is available, we'll contact you to arrange a site visit.
If a plot seems too large when you visit, you might be able to apply for just part of it. On more popular sites, you may only be offered a small or half size plot.
Allotment agreement
You'll get a legally binding contract in which you're agreeing to:
- take on a yearly tenancy to look after your plot and allotment site
- follow the pdf terms and conditions (80 KB) in the agreement or you may be evicted and your plot let to another tenant
See our pdf do's and don'ts sheet (107 KB) for a plain English version of our allotments legislation.
Find our pdf privacy notice for allotment services (149 KB) .
Payment
We'll send you an invoice for the rent that's due until the end of September. After that you'll pay the rent yearly.