To get an allotment in Glasgow, you join a waiting list. You apply to the council online, or send the council’s form by email or post to its Food Growing Team. You must be 18 or over and live inside the Glasgow City boundary. For 2026/27 rent is £115.80 a year for a full plot, £57.90 for a half plot and £34.35 for a fractional plot, with cheaper concession rates for some people. The council says it can’t tell you how long you’ll wait. Several sites on privately owned land run their own separate lists, so you may need to contact them as well.
Last checked: 26 October 2026.
Who can apply for an allotment in Glasgow?
The council’s rules are short. To rent a plot you must be:
- 18 or over
- Living within the Glasgow City boundary
Third sector groups and community groups with a registered address inside the city boundary can apply too. The council’s rules also limit it to one plot per home, unless the property is a house in multiple occupation. If you’re new to the city, our moving to Glasgow guide and best areas to live are worth a look. The council’s rules say it ends your lease when it runs out if you’ve moved out of Glasgow.
How to join the Glasgow allotment waiting list
You’ve got two ways to apply to the council:
- Fill in the online Allotment Waiting List Application form.
- Or download the Word application form from the council’s allotments page and send it by email or post. The email address in the council’s rules is glasgowfoodgrowing@glasgow.gov.uk. The postal address is Food Growing Team, Greenspace and Biodiversity, Glasgow City Council, Floor 1, Eastgate, 727 London Road, G40 3AQ.
The council’s rules say you’ll need to give your name, full address, email address and date of birth. If you want a plot smaller than 250 square metres, say so on the form. You can also add the sites you’d prefer and how far you’re willing to travel. Anyone who meets the eligibility rules goes on the waiting list.
Before you start, look at the council’s allotments map. It shows where the sites are and what facilities they have.
What happens when you’re offered a plot
The council’s form warns that the first plot that comes up for your application may not be at your preferred site. It’s up to you whether you take it. But there’s a catch. Under section 4.8 of the council’s rules, if you refuse an offer of a plot of the size you asked for twice, or don’t reply within a month, you’re taken off the list.
Two more rules from the council are worth knowing:
- If you move house, tell the council within 4 weeks. You keep your place on the list as long as you still qualify.
- If you take a plot, you sign a lease (the council calls it the missive). The council has a guide to filling it in and a blank copy on its allotments page.
How much does a Glasgow allotment cost?
Rent depends on the size of the plot. The council uses three sizes:
- Full plot, 125 square metres and larger
- Half plot, 50 to 124 square metres
- Fractional plot, under 50 square metres
The council’s page shows rents going up each year to 2028/29. These are the yearly rents exactly as printed, when I read the page on 25 October 2026:
| Year | Full plot | Half plot | Fractional plot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £115.80 | £57.90 | £34.35 |
| 2027/28 | £142.90 | £71.45 | £42.95 |
| 2028/29 | £170.00 | £85.00 | £51.50 |
A site association may also charge a membership fee on top. The council’s page says there may be one. The council’s rules also say tenants must join their site association.
Concession rates
Concession rent is lower. You have to apply for it. The council says you can apply if you’re:
- aged 60 or over
- a full-time student
- getting Universal Credit
- getting Personal Independence Payment (the council also lists Adult Disability Payment, “when implemented”)
| Year | Full plot | Half plot |
|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £78.40 | £45.80 |
| 2027/28 | £96.20 | £56.90 |
| 2028/29 | £114.00 | £68.00 |
The council’s table doesn’t show a concession rate for a fractional plot. Ask the Food Growing Team if you want one. Struggling with bills generally? Our cost of living in Glasgow guide covers other help.
How to pay
The council bills you by invoice. Go to the council’s Pay It page, scroll to “Invoices and Other Bills” and choose “Glasgow City Council Invoice”. Under the council’s rules, you’re in default if you haven’t paid within 28 days of getting the invoice.
How long is the waiting list?
The council doesn’t say. Its page and its application form both state that waiting times vary across the city and that it’s not possible to confirm how long you’d wait for an offer. So any number you see elsewhere is a guess. What you can do is apply as soon as you decide you want one, and keep your contact details right. An offer that goes unanswered for a month takes you off the list.
Sites that run their own waiting lists
Not every site is on the council’s list. The council says several sites on privately owned land run separate waiting lists. Its sheet of sites and community growing spaces that manage their own lists (dated May 2024) names these, and gives contact details for most of them. I read an archived copy saved on 30 June 2025, so check it on the council’s allotments page for anything newer.
| Site | Where |
|---|---|
| Bellahouston Allotments | Crosslee Street, Bellahouston |
| Berridale | Delvin Road, Cathcart |
| Dennistoun (Golfhill Drive) | Golfhill Drive, Dennistoun |
| Greyfriars Biophilic Community Garden | High Street, G4 |
| Holmlea | Greenholme Street, Cathcart |
| Petershill | Southloch Street, Springburn |
| Shettleston Growing Project | Ardgay Street, Shettleston |
| Sir John Stirling Maxwell Gardens | Pollokshaws Road, Pollok Park |
| South Western Allotments | Dumbreck Road, Pollok Park |
| Springburn Gardens Association | Springburn Road, Springburn |
| Wellhouse Allotments | Wellhouse Crescent, Wellhouse |
Council allotment sites
The rest sit on council land and go through the council’s list. The council’s allotment information sheet names these 21 as council-managed. The council says there are 32 sites in the city, and over half are on land the council owns or leases. The sheet is an older one (the file was last edited in February 2023), so use the council’s map to check what’s there now.
| Site | Area | Postcode |
|---|---|---|
| Balornock Community | Balornock | G21 4XY |
| Beechwood | Broomhill | G11 7HJ |
| Budhill and Springboig | Springboig | G32 0HE |
| Croftburn | Kings Park | G44 5HU |
| Germiston | Germiston | G21 2DG |
| Hamiltonhill | Hamiltonhill | G22 6SR |
| High Carntyne | Riddrie | G33 2DD |
| Kennyhill | Riddrie | G33 2DD |
| Kelvinside (Julian Avenue) | Kelvinside | G12 0RW |
| Kelvinside (Kirklee) | Kelvinside | G12 0SS |
| Mansewood | Mansewood | G43 1BY |
| Merrylee | Merrylee | G43 2PG |
| New Victoria Gardens | Pollokshields | G41 2NQ |
| Oatlands Gate | Oatlands | G5 0LF |
| Oatlands Leisure Gardens | Oatlands | G5 0LJ |
| Queen’s Park | Langside | G42 9QL |
| Tollcross Park | Tollcross | G31 5LN |
| Trinley Brae | Knightswood | G13 2EY |
| Victoria Park | Scotstoun | G14 9HD |
| Westthorn | London Road | G31 4QA |
| Yoker | Yoker | G14 0HF |
Three of the sites, Queen’s Park, Tollcross Park and Victoria Park, are named after parks. If you’d like a look at the green space around them, our best parks in Glasgow guide is a good place to start.
The rules that matter once you have a plot
These come from the council’s Allotment Rules and Regulations dated 17 May 2024. I read an archived copy of the PDF saved on 30 June 2025. Your site association may have extra rules, but the council’s take priority if they clash.
- Grow things. A plot is for growing vegetables, fruit, herbs or flowers, and not for making a profit. You can sell surplus produce as long as it isn’t for profit.
- Use most of it. At least 65% of the plot must be cultivated. Sheds, paths and other structures can’t take up more than 35%.
- Ask before you build. You need the council’s written permission for any structure, including sheds, glasshouses and polytunnels. On a plot of 125 square metres or more, a shed can be up to 2.5 by 1.8 metres. On a smaller plot it’s 1.8 by 1.2 metres.
- Bonfires. Only between 1 October and 30 April, only for organic material from your plot that can’t be composted, and never left unattended. Local site rules can be stricter.
- Dogs. They’re allowed on site but must be under close control and kept off other people’s plots.
- No sub-letting. You can’t pass your plot on or sub-let it.
- Keep it up. If the council finds you’ve broken the rules, it writes to you first. You can fix it, appeal in writing or give the plot up. If it ends your lease, you can’t apply for another plot for 5 years.
Community gardens while you wait
If you don’t want to wait, you can grow with a group instead. The council points people to the Social Farms and Gardens network, which has a Scotland map of growing projects.
Urban Roots is a community-led environmental charity on the Southside. It works on food growing, conservation and biodiversity with people of all ages in schools, community spaces, gardens and woodlands. It’s based at Toryglen Community Base, 179 Prospecthill Circus, G42 0LA, and its site says to get in touch to find out how to get involved.
Only want a bit of garden help at home? Our brown bin guide covers getting rid of the clippings.
FAQ
How do I get an allotment in Glasgow?
Apply to join the waiting list. Fill in the council’s online form, or send the Word form by email or post to the Food Growing Team. Sites that keep their own lists need a separate approach.
How much does an allotment cost in Glasgow?
For 2026/27 the council charges £115.80 a year for a full plot, £57.90 for a half plot and £34.35 for a fractional plot. Concession rates are £78.40 for a full plot and £45.80 for a half plot. Rents rise to 2028/29.
How long is the Glasgow allotment waiting list?
The council says it can’t confirm how long you’ll wait, because waiting times vary across the city.
Who gets the concession rate?
People aged 60 or over, full-time students and people getting Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment. You have to apply for it.
Can I choose which allotment site I get?
You can say which sites you’d prefer, but the first plot that comes up may be somewhere else. Refuse two offers of the size you asked for, or don’t reply within a month, and you’re removed from the list.
Can I have more than one plot?
The council’s rules allow one plot per home, unless it’s a house in multiple occupation.
Do I have to live in Glasgow?
Yes. You need to live within the Glasgow City boundary, and be 18 or over.
Who do I contact?
The Food Growing Team, Greenspace and Biodiversity, Glasgow City Council, Floor 1, Eastgate, 727 London Road, G40 3AQ. Email: glasgowfoodgrowing@glasgow.gov.uk.
Sources: Glasgow City Council’s allotments page (last modified 9 September 2026) and allotment application form, plus its allotment rules and site sheets.
