Angry gardeners in part of Ashford have hit out at a council's "uncompassionate" decision to hike allotment prices.

Greg White, who has owned one of the plots of land for growing vegetables in Kennington for three years, says it has come at the "worst time" for families.

The rise comes after Ashford Borough Council passed ownership of the neighbourhood's two allotments over to Kennington Community Council.

A few months later, the 74% increase in yearly tariffs was announced.

Mr White said: "I would imagine that a lot of people think that only older people and retirees own allotments, but the truth is a lot of young families use them now.

"With the cost of living crisis, more and more people will come to rely on them for good and healthy food.

"I have heard there is a huge waiting list for allotments here.

"There was no discussion with allotment holders, no opportunity to discuss what is reasonable.

"At a time like this it does feel uncompassionate to raise the prices as much as they have."

The rates on allotments across the country are often calculated by 'perch' – old measurements equivalent to around 25 square metres.

The tariff per perch in Kennington had been £7.20 per perch per year, and has now been raised to £12.50.

Mr White said that it meant the average price of a regular allotment would increase to "around £65 to £70, from £30 to £40".

Another holder, who asked to remain nameless, said: "It's something about Ashford Borough Council being able to subsidise it more than the Community Council.

"It makes sense when you look at it like that, but the timing could not be worse if you tried."

Chris Morley, chair of Kennington Community Council's environment and open spaces committee, says the two allotments had been running at a loss for "a number of years".

"They required significant subsidy from the borough council tax, and a backlog of maintenance issues had built up," he said.

"We have already made improvements, appointing a new maintenance contractor and dealing with some long-term boundary and abandoned plot problems.

"We estimated that the break-even cost of providing allotments would be £25.31 per perch, but council agreed at our meeting on October 12 that we would continue to provide a subsidy at a reduced rate.

"While we are reluctant to increase costs of any service, the agreed rate of £12.50 per perch still requires a subsidy of some £4,800 pounds this year, which will be paid by council tax payers across Kennington. The charges are reviewed annually."

Mr White added: "There were mentions of costs of £25 or more per perch – but after some brief research I have to say that such a price would put us up there as one of the most expensive in the country.

"I know that allotments in Greenwich, London, are around £21 per perch."