Allotment holders in Shepton Mallet will pay more from next month, with rents rising across all three plot sizes from 1 October 2026.

The town council, which provides 100 allotment plots across three sites, has confirmed that annual rents will increase by £5 for small, medium and large plots for the 2026/27 tenancy year.

A large plot will rise from £60 to £65 a year, while a medium plot will increase from £45 to £50.

The annual rent for a small plot will move from £30 to £35.

The increase means the smallest plots will see the largest percentage rise, at just under 17 per cent, while medium plots rise by around 11 per cent and large plots by just over eight per cent.

Shepton Mallet Town Council provides allotments at Allyn Saxon Drive/Somerset Close, Whitstone Road and Hitchen Lane.

Tenancies run for one year at a time, from 1 October to 30 September, with fees varying according to plot size.

The council says there are currently no allotments available, although residents can join the waiting list and will be contacted when a plot becomes vacant.

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When one does become available, the person at the top of the waiting list is invited to view it in its existing condition before deciding whether to take on the tenancy.

Allotment holders are expected to keep plots cultivated and free from weeds, while paths must also be kept tidy.

The rent increase was agreed well in advance, with council papers from July 2025 noting that any change to allotment rents or tenancy conditions had to be notified at least a year before taking effect.

At that point, councillors were told there were no vacant plots and 30 people on the waiting list, although the council's current webpage does not give an updated waiting-list total.

The new rents will apply from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027.

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