A GROUP devoted to fighting controversial plans to sell an allotment site to developers hopes to win its struggle, with the help of residents.
The Barnett Wood Lane Allotments group was formed last Thursday and with another campaign group, called the Green Hearts Association, has now set up a petition.
The group was formed after Mole Valley District Council, which owns the plots in Barnett Wood Lane, in Leatherhead, invited offers from developers interested in building on the 9.5 acre site.
It is hoped the petition will receive at least 500 signatures, after which it must be debated by district councillors.
Speaking after the meeting at the BFree Café, in Kingston Road, Leatherhead, group spokesman Oli Bell said everyone present was "unanimous" in stopping the move.
"There were more than 60 members of the public at the meeting and the main purpose of it was to form a committee, which we did, and assign people to various roles.
"We had people signing the petition as they came in so we already have quite a few, but would like to get as many as possible."
He added: "We are now joining the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, as they have been through the process of defending allotments before.
"They will support us and joining them will certainly help us in making our stand. They will provide support and information more than anything."
The 103 allotments could be moved to the other side of the Leatherhead bypass to a bigger, 22.3-acre green belt site.
None of the sites are currently designated for development in the Local Plan and if a developer is chosen to take the sites forward, they will need to address "various planning and highways considerations" and relocate the Barnett Wood Lane allotments.
The group hopes as many as a 1,000 signatures will be received for the petition, but opponents to the move are also being urged to write a letter to the district council.
