The free stay and play sessions for young children at Tooting Triangle will be saved after Wandsworth Council heard concerns from parents.

The stay and play children's centre's future was hanging in the balance before the council meeting on Thursday, November 22. However, after the meeting it was decided an amendment would be added, putting the centre at the heart of future plans for the site.

Councillors also agreed that council-employed play staff will continue providing unchanged stay and play sessions at the venue until further notice. Cllr Fleur Anderson, who was at the meeting said: "Several parents and carers spoke at the meeting and explained how important it [the play centre] was. They were listened to and an amendment was added in at the end of the session to keep the important and popular centre.

"One concern we all share is the amendment only mentions a baby stay and play and nothing about kids aged five and under, which it currently is. It is important that the play centre is staffed and it is open to kids after five and under."

Cllr Peter Graham said: “Parents value the local stay-and-play sessions at the Triangle. We listened and agreed it should be part of the new lease. This will guarantee the same or more hours at the new facilities. Delivering the new sports offer for children over two does require some changes to the building. So the stay-and-play will focus on 0-2 year olds, which meets the main ask from parents, while allowing the scheme to go ahead. This is a really good outcome all round.”

SEE MORE: Council to decide on plans for Tooting Triangle

The commitment forms a central part of the plans to upgrade and improve sports, leisure and recreational facilities on Tooting Common. Also approved were proposals to replace the existing outdoor artificial sports pitch at the Triangle site.

The Triangle’s existing all-weather floodlit pitch, which covers an area of some 3,800 square metres, was first built on the common in the 1960s and is in desperate need of a complete overhaul. The playing surface is badly worn and is largely overlooked and ignored by local schools and sports clubs because it’s in such a poor state.

Under the proposals, the existing artificial surface would be replaced with a new high-quality all-weather pitch which could be used for a range of different sports. Sensitive floodlighting would also be installed to replace the existing floodlights, which will allow longer playing times for local, schools, clubs and teams

The adjacent buildings would also be revamped, modernised and combined to offer changing rooms, showers, a café, publicly available toilets, and a larger indoor and outdoor children’s recreation and play area.

Another element of the scheme means that part of the new building will also be given over for use by The Balham Amateur Boxing Club which has been using the Triangle as its home since early 2009 when it was forced to quit its previous gym.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting has been approached for a comment.