A group of residents has come up with a solution to long allotment waiting lists by setting up their own gardening club to make use of limited green spaces.

The approach to solving the land shortage in Isleworth will see members sharing a plot of land on which they can grow fruit and vegetables as a community.

Park Road Allotment Association secretary Sharon Proberts said turning two new plots into a shared green space was a solution to oversubscribed waiting lists.

She said: “It is the way to go [forward] for the 21st century.

“Park Road allotments has no capacity but we got some money from BAA to take some unworked overgrown plots so we decided to turn it into a community gardening club.”

She added: “The land has always been there, it’s just been overgrown – too overgrown for one person to take on.

“To get it back under cultivation was a huge job. There were brambles that were 10ft high and people looked at them and ran away very scared.”

Work on the land has begun with the help of funding from aiport operator BAA, which supports community projects in the area, and the allotment maintenance company, which sent a JCB digger to the site to help with clearing.

The new community space, which is about 500sq m and covers two allotment plots, has a group of gardeners helping to prepare the landready for it to be cultivated later this year.

Possible ideas for what to grow on the space have included a mini-orchard with apple and pear trees, but once new gardening club members have signed up and they are further along with preparing the garden, all members will be able to contribute suggestions.

To join the club email sharonproberts@fcmail.net.