PEOPLE in Burnley are facing a seven-year wait to sample the Good Life.

Demand for allotments in the borough has trebled in recent years with 385 on the current waiting list.

But there are only 312 plots available across Burnley, Padiham and Hapton and existing allotment holders are reluctant to quit their furrows.

An action plan has now been drawn up to enable more residents to grow their own produce.

Coun Charles Bullas, leisure cabinet member, said: “This gives a lot of enjoyment to a lot of people. If I could I would provide any allotment for anyone in Burnley who wanted one.

“But it all depends on the size of plot people want. If they are just going to be growing for their own needs then it would be sensible to consider smaller areas.”

Keen gardeners in Queensgate, Gannow and the Trinity areas of Burnley are most eager to obtain allotments and council bosses will be seeking to convert spare land in those wards as a priority.

Coun Bullas added: “I will do everything I can to get more sites to be able to distribute them to those that want them.”

The waiting list for allotments was just 116 eight years ago. Currently there are 312 plots available across several sites.

Plans are being progressed to halve the 250 square-metre standard allotment size to just 125, with a minimum of 75 being recommended.

People who leave large uncultivated areas of their allotments could also be served with quit notices, by the council, to free up more land.

Another route could be the extension of a number of existing allotment complexes, which have spare land nearby, like Reedley, Fennyfold in Padiham, Victoria Road and Woodgrove Road.