A campaign to save allotments in Budleigh Salterton from development has been gathering support after scores of residents have singed a petition to save the plot.

Hundreds of Budleigh Salterton residents are backing campaigners battling to save allotments at Greenway Lane from development.

A small action group of allotment holders has rallied in protest since landowner Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) revealed five options, proposing to build 50 homes - some affordable - on the site.

A fortnight of petitioning has drummed up almost 1,000 signatures from Budleigh people determined to retain the allotments.

The campaigners will carry on collecting signatures until allotment holders meet the landowner next Thursday.

The group stresses it is not fighting affordable homes – but the site put forward for development.

Allotment holder Bridgee Malone, 55, of Armytage Road, said a group of six people was driving the petition.

She said awareness of the cause had been further raised by the addition of campaign scarecrow - named Estelle - at the Greenway Lane allotments.

Bridgee said traffic concerns equalled the community’s fears over the loss of the allotments.

She said: “People think it’s very unfair to take the heart out of Greenway Lane and its social structure between the old and the young.

“We want the allotments to stay where they are. There are obviously other pieces of land they can use.

“A lot of the allotment people have been there 30 or 40 years.

“They don’t want another allotment - it’s too much for them.

“The petition does not say no to affordable housing, although a number of people have questioned what ‘affordable’ means.”

In March, residents were invited to the first of a series of public consultations to learn of CDE’s proposals.

The estate says new homes and allotments could feature together.

Using the comments from the consultations, architects acting for the landowner will draw up further designs, which will be revealed at public meetings on June 10 and 11.