The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute’s Bob Ferrier, a keen allotment holder, responds to the announcement that pressure groups are urging the Scottish Government to address the soaring demand for plots as increasing numbers of people seek to save money by growing fruit and vegetables.

Allotment availability across Scotland has decreased substantially to just 6,700 from the boom times in the 1940s, when there were around 65,000 allotments nationally.

Dr Nanette Milne, Tory MSP for North-East Scotland, has called on environment minister Roseanna Cunningham to set up a summit “in view of the fact that demand for allotment land increasingly outstrips supply”.

Ms Cunningham said she wants all interested parties to take part in “discussions about the future of derelict land”.

“We are aware that some 3,000 people are on a nationwide allotments waiting list, and that 70 per cent of the currently allocated allotments are owned by local authorities,” Ms Cunningham said. “That leaves 30 per cent that are not, so there is capacity to grow the number of allotments outwith local authority land.”