MALVERN Town Council is continuing its search for sorely-needed allotment land with fresh plans for land at Sling Lane.

The town council has a waiting list of 68 people for allotments and is urgently seeking more suitable land, as existing allotment provision at Madresfield Road will be needed for an extension of Great Malvern Cemetery.

Two weeks ago the council submitted plans to use land it owns at Greenfields Road to provide 18 allotments, a junior football pitch and a wildlife area.

It has now followed this up by submitting plans to create 41 allotments and a junior football pitch on land at Sling Lane owned by Malvern Hills District Council.

Town clerk Richard Chapman said that the town council has been in negotiations with Malvern Hills District Council over buying the land, which was at one stage going to be part of land transfers from district to town in 1996.

A previous application for the Sling Lane site was turned down earlier this year and Mr Chapman said that the town council hoped the additional provision of a sports pitch would find favour with planners.

If it is possible then the town council would like to create new allotments on both of the sites where it has applied for permission.

“The town council hopes to continue negotiations with Malvern Hills District Council over the Sling Lane land at the appropriate time,” said Mr Chapman.

“There is an urgent need for allotments, especially as the council has a policy to extend the cemetery to its natural boundaries, and that will mean displacing 40 allotment holders.”

Mr Chapman said: “I think that there will always be a waiting list, because the interest in allotments and growing your own food at the moment is tremendous.”