Allotments and Community Gardens in Heaton

Heaton is a neighbourhood of terraces and back lanes, so it surprises newcomers how much growing goes on here. Tucked behind the parks and along the edge of the Ouseburn valley are a string of allotment sites, some of them dating back to the food-growing push of the First World War, when Newcastle Corporation made land across the city available for residents to cultivate. The Heaton History Group has written about how a few of those wartime sites survive today.

Whether you want a plot of your own or just somewhere to get your hands dirty alongside other people, here is how it works in Heaton.

How to get an allotment in Newcastle

Allotments in Heaton are council sites, and you join the waiting list through Newcastle City Council rather than by turning up at the gate. The council's allotments page links to an online application form, and one application puts you on the waiting list for plots across the city.

Be prepared to wait. The council is upfront that waiting times vary from one part of the city to another and that it cannot say when a plot will come free. Heaton sites have historically been popular, so it is worth applying sooner rather than later, and putting your name down even if you are not quite ready.

Most sites are run day to day by their own allotment association, which looks after things like site upkeep and the letting of plots. Rents vary with the site, the size of the plot and who manages it, so ask the council or the association for current figures rather than relying on old ones.

Allotment sites in and around Heaton

The council's list includes a good number of sites with NE6 and NE7 postcodes. The ones closest to Heaton itself include:

• Armstrong, beside Armstrong Park (more on this one below)
• St Gabriel's, in the streets off Heaton Road (NE6 5RN)
• Iris Brickfield, next to the Iris Brickfield green space behind Whitefield Terrace (NE6 5SS)
• City Stadium, on the western side of Heaton (NE6 5PA)
• High Heaton, Duxfield East and West and Thropton Terrace, clustered together in High Heaton (NE7 7EQ)
• Craster Terrace (NE7 7EN), Greenwater Pool (NE7 7DA) and Fairways (NE7 7FS), further north in NE7

Heading east towards Walkergate there are more, including Walkergate Hospital, Walkergate 3A and 3B, and Hexham Avenue. Since a single council application covers the whole city, it can be worth thinking about which of these you could realistically reach on foot or by bike.

Armstrong Allotments

The best known of Heaton's growing sites is Armstrong Allotments Association, on land next to Armstrong Park just off Heaton Road. The entrances are on Crompton Road and Glenridge Avenue, and the plots sit in a lovely green corner on the edge of the park and the Ouseburn valley.

Even if you do not have a plot, you can make use of it. The association runs a small shop selling compost, fertiliser and garden sundries, open to members and neighbours alike on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10.30am to 12.30pm. It has also been known for plant sales, produce shows and school visits over the years. Membership enquiries go through the contact page on its website.

Best for: Best for: Heaton Road residents who want a plot by the park, and anyone needing compost on a weekend morning.

Community gardens and growing projects

If the allotment waiting list feels like a long road, community gardens are the quicker way in. You do not need your own plot, the tools are usually provided, and you learn a lot from working alongside more experienced growers.

Ouseburn Farm

A short walk down from Heaton into the valley, Ouseburn Farm is a free-entry city farm and charity with gardens and an orchard alongside its pigs, goats, sheep and poultry. Gardening is a real part of its work: its placement programme for adults with learning disabilities and autism includes horticulture alongside animal care and catering, and the farm takes volunteers too.

It is also simply a pleasant place to see food being grown, which makes it a good first stop for children who are curious about where vegetables come from. Opening days change with the seasons, so check the farm's website before visiting. Our Ouseburn Farm and Seven Stories walk makes a nice morning of it.

Best for: Best for: families, and anyone who wants to garden with purpose as a volunteer.

Wild Roots Community Garden

Tucked away on Stepney Bank, next to Stepney Bank Stables, Wild Roots Community Garden is a volunteer-built wildlife garden on what was once an industrial scrap of land. Supported by the Ouseburn Trust, it has been steadily transformed into a garden with planted beds, native wildflowers and a pond that runs into a bog garden, helped along by grants from Northumbrian Water and Kew's Grow Wild programme.

It is aimed at the surrounding communities of St Ann's, Byker and Heaton, and it relies on volunteers. Sessions have been advertised through GoodGym in 2026, and the garden hosts occasional events. To find it, go through the gates for the Print Works car park (where the Ouseburn market is held) and keep walking.

Best for: Best for: wildlife lovers and anyone who fancies a few hours of group gardening without committing to a plot.

Tips for would-be growers

• Apply now, even if you are unsure. Waiting lists move slowly, and you can always turn a plot down.
• Visit on a weekend morning. That is when allotment sites are busiest, and plot-holders are usually happy to chat about the site and how long people have waited.
• Start small. A half plot, or a regular volunteering slot at a community garden, is a much gentler introduction than a full plot in its first overgrown summer.
• Make use of the parks. If you just want green space, our guide to parks and green spaces in Heaton covers Heaton Park, Armstrong Park and Jesmond Dene.

Do you run a community garden or growing project in Heaton that we have missed? Let us know and we will add it.