ANGRY allotment gardeners last night stepped up their campaign to block controversial plans to build homes on their Eastleigh town centre plots.

Their protest outside The Point came as the council launched the first in a series of public exhibitions on its local plan which will guide development in the borough up to 2011.

Allotment land at Woodside Avenue, South Street and Monks Way are firmly in the planners' sights as the council pieces together a massive town centre redevelopment jigsaw.

Hundreds of new homes will be built and part of the £22m investment will be ploughed into leisure facilities.

The council is working with the allotments association on replacement allotment sites.

Allotment holders say it will take many years to cultivate new plots.

Representatives of the Eastleigh and Bishopstoke Allotment Association were joined by residents from the Kipling Road area who will also be affected by the proposals.

Outside The Point they displayed a huge banner emblazoned with the words: "Allotments are not for building on."

Another poster read: "Help save our roads from more gridlock Say no to more houses in Eastleigh."