ANGRY Eastleigh town centre residents are stepping up their "Save Lakeside From Devolopment" campaign to stop their green area from disappearing under a sea of concrete.

The Lakeside Area Residents Association held a May Day picnic to raise awareness of Eastleigh council plans to build hundreds of homes in their backyard.

It is part of a massive town centre redevelopment plan and the £22m investment will be ploughed into developing leisure facilities.

But protesters say that building on allotments and open space around the Lakeside Countryside Park area will destroy the quality of life for many residents.

Picnic tables were set up near the Monks Way allotments and children's play area which could be swallowed up by development.

Membership secretary Karen Freeman said: " This is a peaceful event to raise public awareness.

"There are still people who do not know or understand the implications of this bad plan."

During the picnic residents were able to pick up information leaflets about the development proposals.

Mrs Freeman and her husband Terry just have to step out of the back door of their Monks way home, which looks out onto the Lakeside Country Park, to be in their allotment.

Mr Freeman said: "It is nice to come home from work and relax on the allotment. At the same place there is an area where the children can play.

"But they want to build houses on all this lovely space."

Association chairman Mr David Marsh pointed out that there were plans to build four storey blocks of flats overlooking the lakes.

He said: "How can you call it a country park when you have got houses totally overlooking it."

There were fears that the development proposals would destroy a wildlife haven and eventually swallow up the strategic gap between Southampton and Eastleigh.

Mr Ted Ingram, who is treasurer of the Eastleigh and Bishopstoke Allotment Association, said there was growing support for the campaign to stop plans to build homes on the Woodside Avenue, South Street and Monks Way allotments sites.

He said: "We have over 2,000 signatures on our petition and the fight goes on."

Meanwhile the association is urging residents to bombard the council with letters protesting about and questioning the controversial plans.