ALLOTMENT holders in Peebles who are campaigning to stop their plots being turned into houses have raised more than £470 for charity through the sale of produce.

Bonnie Peebles, Macmillan Nurses and Peebles Foodbank will each receive more than £150 from the gardeners, who launched a campaign to save the 40 plots at the former March Street Mill.

Site owners Moorbrook Textiles want to turn the allotments into housing plots.

And relocate gardeners to a smaller area of the site that is currently contaminated with oil and industrial chemicals.

The gardeners responded by taking a petition onto the High Street on two September Saturdays and holding an open day at the allotments last Sunday when they raised £473 by selling fruits of their labour.

High street shoppers were also invited to guess the weight of a box of vegetables.

The boxes were won by Mrs Elizabeth Taylor of Stewerton and David Paton.

Allotments committee chairman Ian Mewett said: “We were delighted with the support we encountered from the public

“The allotments have been providing local families with fresh fruit and vegetables since 1941 and we have a growing waiting list of applicants should any plots become vacant. There is also a long waiting list for the council allotments at The Gytes.”

March Street Mill site owners Moorbrook Textiles has invited all plot holders to a meeting at the mill building on Monday to discuss its proposals and its plans for relocating the allotments.

The mill closed in 2015 with the loss of 87 jobs, bringing an end to an industry that had occupied the site since 1884.

Moorbrook Textiles has submitted planning applications to demolish the buildings and replace them with 70 new homes.

The plans have provoked a stream of objections including strong opposition from Peebles Community Council.

Peebles Community Trust is calling for an innovative mix of social housing, business and community facilities on the five-acre town centre site.