A residents’ petition opposing a school’s attempts to sell off one of its playing fields to fund the development of sports facilities on another has attracted 500 signatures. 

Epsom and Ewell High School, on Ruxley Lane, Ewell, aims to sell an area of disused playing field and is planning to ask the Secretary of State for Education for the consent to do this.

The school has two fields at present - one small and one larger area, neither of which are used adequately for sport, and it has said that students are taken off-site for matches.

It plans to sell the smaller field, which is on a slope and in an "extremely poor condition", with the money generated to pay for the re-development of the larger field with new sports facilities.

The larger field currently becomes waterlogged for much of the year and suffers from large surface cracks in dry conditions because of its clay base.

But concerned residents believe the land will be sold and used for a housing development - a proposal which has been on the table before.

Karen Matthews, of Gadesden Road, is leading the campaign against the proposed sale and has spearheaded an online petition which has gathered 500 signatures.  

She said one resident has already made plans to move out of the borough.

Ms Matthews said: "We all know that if the sale goes ahead, the field would be sold to a housing developer.

"We are all aware of the national housing crisis and the shortage of homes in our borough but as a tiny corner of the borough we feel we have had our share of new houses/flats/shops in the last two years."

The residents are concerned about traffic and congestion problems from the potential development.

Ms Matthews said she was also surprised that the school has not contacted Sport England to ask for funding for new sports facilities and wondered whether it has "exhausted all other means of funding to improve the facilities" as required by a school wishing to sell a playing field.

Kate Sanders, the school’s business manager, said there are no potential buyers in the frame at this stage and no further developments.

She said: "The consultation period is now closed and we are compiling the information we need to make our application to the Secretary of State which will include the responses to the consultation received by the end date.

"If we are given permission to sell, there would be a planning process which would also require a consultation during which residents will be consulted again."

When asked about rumours that a covenant on the smaller field, left to the school by a Mr Scott, specifies that it should not be built on, Ms Sanders said: "None of the legal or title documents that we have in our possession, which would have come to the school from Surrey County Council when the school became a foundation school, suggest any such covenant.

"However, our legal team will continue to research the matter."

She said the school will approach Sport England if consent is given to it to dispose of the smaller field and that in 2012, it applied for funding through the academies capital maintenance fund but the application was turned down.  

Ms Matthews said the residents want to meet with Epsom’s MP Chris Grayling who they feel has stayed silent on the matter.

But speaking to the Epsom Guardian, Chris Grayling MP said: "This is a decision that will be taken by the borough council who will decide whether it is an appropriate development or not.

"I will, and have, spoken to the planning department at the council to ensure they are aware of residents’ concerns, but I always tell people that with individual planning applications you are better talking to local councillors than me.  They are the decision-makers."

To sign the petition click here