Eastleigh Council is facing fresh uproar over its plans to plant hundreds of homes on the town's allotment sites.

Allotment holders will be able to stay on their existing plots until the end of September, but only if they sign a new tenancy agreement.

The gardeners have been warned that legal action could be taken to seize the land if the agreements are not signed and they stay on their sites.

The plot holders, who have taken legal advice, say they will not sign and are determined to stay put.

They are angry that they are being forced to quit their plots ahead of a public inquiry which will ultimately decide whether the council can press ahead with its major housing development plans.

The plot holders also say that the controversial new tenancy agreement contains a clause preventing planting anything that takes longer than six months to mature.

Yesterday, as the deadline passed for signing the agreement, about 200 plot holders on the Monks Way, South Street and Woodside Avenue, were still refusing to sign.

Their move follows legal advice given to the Eastleigh and Bishopstoke Allotment Association.

Association chiefs were expecting their latest united move against sowing concrete on their allotments to land them in court.

Vice chairman of the allotments association Tony Murrills has branded the tenancy agreement "ridiculous".

He said: "It basically bans plot holders from growing any vegetables that require a long growing season and are normally harvested through the autumn and over the winter."

The Allotment Association is concerned that the new agreement might undermine the statutory rights of the plot holder if they sign.

Mr Murrills added: "No one should be faced with such tight deadlines for signing any legally binding document in which there are still unresolved matters of importance."

An Eastleigh Council spokesman said: "The council has already served notice to quit on plot holders, which will take effect on March 31.

"The new agreements will allow the plot holders the benefit of dual use of both existing and new plots plus additional time to move on to their new plots.

"If the new agreements are not signed and the plot holders remain on the site the council will be entitled to initiate court proceedings to take possession of the land."