Eastleigh'S most senior councillor has accused protestors of going to "ludicrous lengths" in their fight to prevent their allotments being paved over and turned into new homes.

Eastleigh council leader Keith House, pictured below, has hit out at members of the Lakeside Area Residents Association (LARA) as they battle to stop 400 new properties being built on the plots near Monks Way.

The council is proposing to expand the beauty spot, which is visited by families from across Hampshire. Mr House says the plans would improve the area and would not harm the mini-railway business which operates within the country park.

He says the development will trigger a new partnership with the University of Southampton that will bring about huge improvements and better access to 19 football pitches on Wide Lane.

Mr House said: "Protesters are going to ludicrous lengths to criticise the housing plans. So much so that they have even suggested the mini-railway may lose business.

"I am delighted to reassure railway enthusiasts that if anything there will be opportunities for the railway to expand. We are looking to extend Lakeside to the east and west."

But protester Wayne Borras, a resident of Monks Way and wildlife officer of LARA, said: "If we're going to ludicrous lengths it's because it's a ludicrous plan.

"The allotments are one of the most used open spaces in Eastleigh. It's just not the place to build houses. I would imagine if the railway was overlooked by a row of three and four-storey flats it would affect it."

Dr Bill Harris, director of sport and recreation at the University of Southampton, confirmed there were plans to dramatically improve sports facilities for Eastleigh and Southampton residents.

He said: "We are going into an exciting partnership to develop a new sports pavilion and artificial pitches to meet the needs of the sporting community."

Further plans include eight tennis courts which along with the new Astroturf pitches would be floodlit, he added.